The Daily News. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1922. BRITAIN’S POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 October 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1922. BRITAIN’S POLITICS.

The break-up of the Coalition Government, in Britain has produced results somewhat akin to those proceeding from the explosion of a high-power shell. Fragments there are in, plenty, even some solid remnants capable of doing service, but of cohesion little, if any, trace is left. Instead, the electors will be faced with a number of parties,who are more concerned with piques than principles, more bent on political strife than on their country s best interests. The unity which won the war has now been torn to shreds, and there only remains a political “Olla. Podrida” that each party can flavor to its own liking, or in such a way as they think will prove most to the taste of the electors, always with the view of power. Mr. Bonar Law has made his first choice of colleagues in the new Cabinet, and it will doubtless be conceded that what most of them lack in outstanding merit they make up for this deficiency by intense respectability and hoary Tory tendencies. It is a very fair sample of what the component units of a Conservative Ministry might bfi expected to be selected for the purpose, and should be capable, at least, of filling the role of stopgaps until after the general elec-

tion, when the verdict of the country will to some extent disclose the will of the people. It is necessary to qualify this verdict by reason of the perplexity which the numerous parties and the niceties of differences as to their respective policies will create. It is quite plain that not a few of the Conservative recruits are being attracted to the party because they expect to be on the winning side and have hopes of finding a niche in the administration that will satisfy their aspirations. Mr. Bonar Law’s policy appears to be summed up in the sentiment of making friends all round so as io curtail expenditure. In the abstract that policy should prove attractive, even to the Socialists, although it will put back the clock so far as Britain’s prestige is concerned, and act as a stimulus to Bolshevik intrigues. The Unionists are made of sterner stuff, and although the Conservatives are evidently placing their hopes on winning over a section of the Unionists to their side, they will soon find that the tail will wag the dog, for it is certain that .the Unionists will not be content to be harnessed to a policy that will rob Britain and her Allies of the fruits of a vic-' tory obtained at colossal sacrifice's. It is the Unionists on whom British policy must largely depend, not only as to- internal affairs, but more especially in international dealings. There is a close affinity between the platform of the Unionists and the Coalition Liberals, and Mr. Lloyd George has placed in the forefront of his address to the Coalition Liberals his determination that country must come before party, while the first essential of home policy was to improve trade and practice stern economy. He is prepared to fight-the Conservatives if they put up candidates directly or indirectly to attack the Coalition Liberals, so that the election bids fair to be exciting as well as strenuous. In propounding the query as to whether the Conservatives could alone defend the social fabric, Mr. Lloyd George brought into prominence one of the outstanding dangers of the period, the menace of revolutionary Socialism presented by the extreme section of Labor. How real that menace is becomes all too plain in the light ' f the Labor Party’s election manifesto. That alone ought to suffice to bring about a jettisoning of party differences as well as a united front to oppose those resolute and deter mined men who are “out to destroy” because they want to rebuild society on a totally d fi’erent basis. It is quite possible, however, that a very large' pr.<portion of the voters will follow party leaders rather than discriminate on the merits.or otherwise of the policies put forward, but the existence of unemployment will certainly be a factor adverse to the late Government and advantageous to Labor, although no Government could have prevented the slump. The Empire naturally desires to see the strongest and most able Government that Britain can secure, and as no single party is likely to fill the bill, there is no alternative but a union of forces of the two most predominant groups. That, however, depends on the result of the election. A makeshift Government will be little less than a disaster.