The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-01-30
HUNGER No, TH B. MAIN / ISSUE
British Governments Greatest Task
to Relieve the Unemployed.
LABOR PARTY is NOW A POWER
Predicted II viii Become the Great
Democratic Party Of EngIand-Na.
tionaIists Disappointed, But Modified
Home Rule For ireland Assured.

tonaIists Disappointed, But Modified
Home Rule For ireland Assured.
London Jan. 29.-With all but nine
Of the parliamentary elections COM
plcted, il has become apparent that
6ir Henry Campbell-Bannerman will
enter the new house of commons with
approximately $40 votes, this being
the greatest majority ever given to
British premier The ministerial forces
will include 376 Liberals, "a Irish Ma
tionalists and so Laborites. The. oppo-
sition consists OF $50 Unionists. In
case the Nationalists and Laborites
should at any time break away from
the ministerial program, the Liberals
would still count 81 majority over all.
Before the election, in the heat of
the campaign, dozen or more issues
were battled over, but now, with the
clouds OF the fighting cleared away, the
real, predominant issue has appeared.
IL wRs hunger.
More than to anything else. the vic
tory OF the Liberals. after more than
20 years in the minority. can be
ascribed to the fact that England has
within her borders today a greater
number of unemployed persons than
ever before. There is lack of work for
them lack Of food. lack of housing and
lack OF clothing, but the election has
proven that there is no lack of con-
corn and sympathy. The mass of the
people have realized that this problem
of the unemployed is a bigger one than
any question of fiscal policy army
management or colonial affairs. Just
what the governmental revolution can
accomplish toward solving the prob
lem does not appear. but~the old min
istry proved itself utterly inadequate
for the task and the people impa-
tently hurled II out of power in the
hope that a new premier new cabi.
net and a new parliament might DO
something.
II should also he pointed out that
the election probably marks the end OF
the old two-party system, there now
being four groups. OF which the La
borites are the most interesting.
The Labor partys development In
national politics marks a surprising
change In sentiment In the country.
Liberals are supporting Laborites and
Laborites are supporting LIBERALS In
most instances. In some quarters II Is
predicted that the Labor party will be-
come the great democratic party OF
England. The fact that labor felt its
strength in this election is bound to
give impetus to the movement in the
future especially as John Burns, the
Labor party leader. has been promi'
nently seated in the cabinet
Some % members OF the Labor
party belong to what is known as
Labor representatives" They are
pledged to disregard the party whips
OF either side and TO vote in accord
ance with the wishes of their constit-
NtUiS. % liuA do tilta lOiiON ihoAi w
tions they are paid $1,000 each per
year by the Labor representatives
committee. The other Labor members,
who are unpledged, will probably stand
by the Liberal side through thick and
thin. and on labor questions will have
the support of some 20 or 80 of the
more radical Liberals.
The Natonalists. who expected TO
hold the balance Of power, are some
what disappointed. but political pro
phets do not hesitate to say that home
rule for Ireland in modified form Is
actually in sight. asserting that IT is
logical to conclude, after Campbell
Bannerman's pledge relative to the
management Of Irish domestic affairs
for Ireland. that the experiment of an
Irish parliament. subsidiary to the i'm
perial parliament. will be tried within
the next two years.