THE CONSERVATIVES.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 October 1922, Page 5

THE CONSERVATIVES.

TO FIGHT AS A PARTY. SPEECH BY BONAR LAW. DANGER FROM LABOR. NEED FOR UNITY. By Telegraph.—Prajs Assn.—Copyright. Received October 20, 11.30 p.m. London, Oct. 19. Mr. Chamberlain, at the Carlton Club, explained the position of himself and his colleagues in the Cabinet, who de* sire to preserve the Coalition. Mr. Chamberlain was given a patient hearing, but it was obvious his explanations did not satisfy the meeting. Mr. S. Baldwin and Sir A. GriffithBoseawen regretted they could not follow Mr. Chamberlain’s leadership. Mr. E. G. Pretyman moved that th* Conservatives should fight the elections as an independent party, under their own programme and their own leader, with a proviso for coalition with Liberals or Unionists if so advised by their leader. Mr. Pretyman said the new issues could best be met by Conservative principles rather than a Coalition, of which members were doubtful. Not only were old party measures dead, but the party itself was dead in a sense. There was a vast mass of opinion without definite allegiance to the Conservative or Liberal Party. The country was seeking a lead and was determined on a change of Government.

It would be a national disaster if the only Government available was Socialist. It was the Conservative Party’s duty to come out under its own leader and its own policy. It woqld be better for the party even if it did not win as many seats as it would otherwise win. He thought the party would be perfectly willing to co-operate with anyone willing to assist in preventing the advent of socialism.

There was no reason for the proscription or exclusion of those who hitherto worked with them, but the resolution did mean that the Conservatives were no longer pledged to the Coalition-Con-servatives in any constituency, and were quite free to put up their own candidates, but as a party they should not definitely oppose the Coalition with the Liberals. A BROKEN MARRIAGE.

Mr. Bonar Law qgid the real question was ought the Coalition to continue? If they adopted Mr. Chamberlain’s proposal, ana any Conservative felt his return was possibly due to Mr. Lloyd Geode’s influence, it would be infinitely more dishonorable to ask Mr. Lloyd George to retire after the election. If it were possible he would urge Mr. Chamberlain to abide by the party's decision regarding the continuance of the Coalition, but he was afraid it was too late, and the party was faced with an inevitable split. Personally he attached more importance to keeping the party united than to winning the election. He did not think there was a danger of Labor coming into power; the country was not that way inclined. Labor won many by-elections because it was the only alternative to the Coalition. A party composed of everyone not Labor would inevitably result in a Labor Government ultimately. It was obvious a heartfelt union no longer existed. It was like a marriage in which one of the parties determined to go away. The feeling against the Coalition v*as so strong that the party would be broken, and not the least evil would be that what was left of the Conservative Party would become reactionary if they agreed with Mr. Chamberlain. The I body cast off would slowly become the Conservative Party, but it would take a generation to recover its influence. On the other hand, if the meeting decided against the Coalition, the great majority would continue members of the party. If no compromise was possible, he would vote in favour of the party going into the election as a party, and fighting to win. If it could have gone as a united party at least it would have had a good chance. Whether it was Mr. Lloyd George’s fault or force of circumstances, the Government had lost the party’s confidence. He thought that in the main it was force of circumstances, for no Premier could have avoided unpopularity in the years through which Mr. Lloyd George had passed. There was no good, however, in trying to keep the Government alive. (Loud cheers.)

LORD BALFOUR’S ATTITUDE. Lord Balfour said he had never peen a sign of Mr. Lloyd George forcing his Conservative colleagues to adopt Liberal principles, and a modification of views had already occurred on the part of the Premier, much more than among his Conservative colleagues. He absolutely denied he had been unfaithful to any substantial principles he had advocated all his life. He added: Why anticipate difficulties which did not exist? Why advocate the return to the two party system, when the realities on which it was based were in abeyance. Mr. Pretyman’s proposal was preposterous, and they could not fight on such lines. The principles on which a two party fight was proposed had not been produced. The only practical way of restoring the two party system was by dividing the Conservative Party, which was an undesirable remedy. He did not believe the most expert electioneer knew what the country really thought as between the parties. "When the election was over they would know infinitely more, and in the light of that augmented knowledge the reconstruction of the Government would have to be reconsidered. He had listened painfully to lip service paid to the leaders compared with actual practice. Lord Balfour strongly urged the meeting to support Mr. Chamberlain.

Colonel Leslie Wilson said that if the Conservatives were returned with a considerable majority he would not be prepared to serve under a Liberal Premier. The Conservatives would be broken like the Liberals if they continued the Coalition.

Colonel Wilfrid Ashley asked whether the voters for the motion would be voting for a Tory Premier. Mr. Chamberlain said he certainly understood the motion excluded the possibility of any but a Tory Premier. After the vote Mr. Chamberlain said he and his friends would consider the position. Mr. Pretyman’s motion was carried. — Aua,*N.Z. Cable Awn.