The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-11-15
ENDORSEMENT OF
LLOYD-GEORCE IS
UP IN ENGLAND
British Premier Asks Voters
to Continue Present Coali-
ton Government During
Reconstruction.
(By Associated Press)

(By Associated Press)
LONDON, Nov. 15-The issue in the
coming elections Is whether the coun-
try will endorse Lloyd Georges pro-
posal that the present coalition gov
ernment, with himself as premier,
shall be continued after the war for
the work of making peace and carry
ing on the labor of reconstruction.
Never before were British political
conditions as chaotic as they are to-
day. The war has shattered old party
lines
The electoral reform bill adopted by
parliament during the summer of 1917
virtually doubled the number of vot-
ers. 1t gave the ballot to all women
over 30. men over 81 and soldiers un-
der 21. This added 100000 females
and 100000 males to the voting lists.
How the women will vote and what
parties the soldiers will support none
can predict.
The prospect of plunging the coun-
try into the excitement and expense
Of an election at such time as the
present has excited strong opposition
On the other hand, the legal life of
the present house of commons ex-
pired three years ago and it had ex-
tended Its own tenure of office from
term to term by resolutions. This
has been an informal proceeding
which would have been impossible ex-
cept that it had the endorsement OF
public opinion because no one wanted
an election during the great war.
Labor Policy Doubtful.
AS the new voters will be entitled to
take part in choosing the government,
Mr.. Lloyd George has before him the
difficult task Of trying to keep to-
gether that majority of the conserva-
tive party which supported his war
measures and enough liberals to give
him balance of power. The decisive
factors will be how many liberals will
follow him and what policy the labor
party will adopt.
Herbert H. Asquith remains the Off
cial leader Of the liberal party, while
Mr.. Lloyd George is free lance with
out any party organization or party
funds behind him. He wishes to con-
tinue the political truce which all par
ties declared at the beginning of the
war and trusts to the slogan that he is
the 'leader who won the war" to at
tract votes.
The program of his followers is ap
parently to nominate Lloyd George lib
erals in all districts where the regular
liberal candidates will not endorse the
premier's platform. II this is carried
out, it means a split in the liberal
party. which will have to decide
whether the Lloyd Georgians or the
Asquithians control it. How many
candidates the labor party will nomin-
ate and how many votes it will muster
is an uncertain element.
So far as Ireland is concerned the
election probably means the almost to-
tai disappearance of the old National
ist party of Redmond and Dillon from
Westminster The Sein Feiners are
expected to sweep southern Ireland,
but the members elected by the Sein
Feiners always refused to take their
seats.
Presents Program.
In addition to trying to hold togeth-
er his conservative and liberal sup
porters, Mr. Lloyd George is trying to
reconcile the Asquith faction. Mr.. As
quith could have had a high seat in
the present cabinet If he would have !
accepted it. There were two obsta |
cles, however, home rule and protec- !
tion One of these. the conservatives
will not have. and the other Is OBJECT I
ed to by the liberals
Mr.. Lloyd George addressed large |
groups of liberal members from both
houses Of parliament on Tuesday. An
drew Bonar Law, chancellor Of the ex-
chequer, also presented the coalition
program at a meeting of conserva-
tives This program is said to include
"safeguarding" agriculture and essen t
tial manufactures, imperial preference
and home rule without coercion of the
six counties of Ulster. Mr.. Lloyd !
Georges speech before the liberals ad-
vocated a League of Nations and en-
phasized the need of national unity. !;
He begged the liberals not to sulk.
Limited protection and halfway home
rule do not satisfy the stalwarts of
either party. The greatest asset of
Mr.. Lloyd George is his personal pop
II rity