Political Stocktaking
IMPORTANCE OF THE LIBERALS
Front Our Parliamentary CorresportrIent HE Easter recess WilS So short that it cOuld hardly be regarded as a holiday, especially by those members representing provincial seats. It provided, however, a useful otianee to indulge in a little stocktaking in the constituencies.
In these days of adult suffrage with divisional electoral-es of 50,000 and more, it is most difficult to gouge cleie tomb opinion between genertil elections. Moreover, the increasing concentration of publie attention On the econoritie rather than the purely palitleal aspects of government brings in new and incalculable factors,
LITTLE INTEREST IN INDIA
An interesting example of this shifting of public interest is the attitude cif the man in the street to the Italia Bill. Twenly-five years ago a reVolutitmary proposal .of this le.nti would have roused bitter political. pessioils: far smaller ia.Slies ltiaVe raised the ttereest of Storms. To-day, meMbers of Parl1ament find, especially in the tiorth, that the great majority of their constituents are not interested in the Italia (toestiOle even In lemeushire whose lifeblood, the cotton traile, is hound to be intimately affected, iriterest is hikewarm„ell this is reflected iIi the. Ilcitiee Of COMMOns and reels to glee the s..neere and persisicui efforts of Mr. Cluirrhill and his Wile band or Consftrativo diehard, iho unroutity of stet doe -Lox ine.
WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE THINKING?
11111-Eklug? 1-11,f, I:1111 110111A 'hal iiiultural areas \l I. Elliuts marketiiie edietnee
have ziruused dill:nu-J. if led. miiversal apprn‘al, and that the fernine4 111111) Ii' is 011 hit toes" i.dii' I ui 01 tud It leng depicesion, end loeking fur hetier iltings.
Mr. Iiiiitelmart's trade etgreenients,
loo, despitl . their bud IPITSS, 11111.13 Ullructed attention, and Mr. Chamberlain's handling of the fiat:lines IL11:111I e:41 has moved even the ranks of Tiiscally to qualified aPecovul. There reniiiins, however, the great problem of ployment, in dealing NV1111 W/Iiril and every government for yeors to collie must stand or fall. with 1111e111plOYMOnf figlife.5 still avow'si twu million there can be no eatIse for coinplaCeney.
THE DOMESTIC PROBLEM
Though ti eni eloyment is the greateet of our dema stir problems It eon ic given too great otenimence Licui LLsSeS
:,ing °teetotal peoepecte. 11 must lie liorne Lit the! 111 tile country es ii whole there ere from Live to a.:±.
irlattped WOrkeis, ■Ji king tor every one itLhLt is imenneavect at a given mite, Lord Siiiii.vden lias estimated Mat there aro abutzt seventeen nolltuo persons engaged in regular gantlet:. occurialturi, praetieally CNT'1%)-t one Of whom Is a. voter.
Evert lit the distressed areas, or $perial areag ite they are nue. called, it is usual to fttid well over they per rent. of losured workers at 'roue., except in comparatively few d.striete. Trio tendency of those ill regular. work, ur having a strike In ii Ic country such as a businees or terolession, is to the directlett of eatatiOit; they aio inclined to be shy Of drastic eCenonoe changes such as 11,1105e iideoeriteie oy
tlie OppOsition. Coneequelitly the National governman can count cu a care of soil(' support among ire
tinder our electoral system, ilow,•ver. IL few hundred 'thousand veteolie
wu v the Other may unal I a I I L111:! I ifference.
sure to regain between cue titiridciel
and 150 seels cart only hie lost IC) them in a landslide sucli ;,5 occurred in 1.906 and 1931. On the rce:iitt ilL tt few dozer. " doubtful seats will rest the fall! or the government.
LIBERALS HOLD THE BALANCE
This is Willie the Liberal vote :Oniee ire 2‘1.11Jough. the parliametitary Liberal piney is split into eeemittely freeniente mere es too it streets Lltrelal eIernent
the cl tose IT Ilene a !cad. 1.1 Ilie!=.0
5115111 •ons IF ..ous.Lrransin, neve heel'
imprie,;ed the. \coy Ill Ciimials mot cnriservitoves reeve
\) 010(1 Ii lgi'LLl itt hit' p!esiii Ill Libereliste remereed the Otter leireele1 • Nell, Asquilles .1nloi Morley used to res)git every other day!"
on LITYS Liberal V01.0, thererfire, 1)101,ably depetws the result ol the nem; getteral eleeteon. Already there ere signs Heil the three eectioes of the Liberal parita.mentary party are anx.ous for a rapprorhemetil. leer many moliths it has been ii ii open secret Mel emer (if the " regret having left the governmmt two years ago and would weleonne tne chance or a. come-hank.
Can if be Mal Mr, Llo-yd George's "
Nev 1)ea1 " supply the cOn1MOn around? Tf so, the next few monthe may see surprising developments.