The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-29

That the coalition government would be victorious had been n
 fcreg0ne conclusion, despite the
 rumbiings of rumor between the
 polling and the counting of the 'T votes that labor would make m
 unexpected showing. Hut that
 David Lloyd George would com
 mand completely an overwhelming
 majority in the new House in the
 Proportion of almost five to one
 had never been contemplated even
 by the most sanguine coalition
 fsts. And since coalition, as 1t
 now operates. Is distinctly more
 cOnservative than liberal in It's
 Composition and tendencies, this
 result of the first election under
 the extended franchise and with
 the participation of millions of
 women voters is most suggestive.
 Premier Lloyd George, with only four results yet to be announced, has 519 seats for his coalition, out of a mem bershiN of TOT. The Sim Feiners have elected 70 members, and labor ap- proxirnately 75.
 Of fl women candidates only one VIII be entitled to sit in the House of$ Commons, namely a Sim Feiner, Countess Markievicz, who was elected for St. Patrick's division of Dublin city. But, as the Sim Feiners refuse to sit at Westminster. the House of Com mons, will as hitherto, be composed en- tirely of males
 All the other women candidates, in- cluding many of the foremost in the woman's movements, were rejected by their constituencies. Christabel Plank hurst came the nearest of these to be- ing elected, being defeated only by a narrow majority by laborite.
 The Sim Feiners, as expected not only swept Ireland. but gained their seats with enormous majorities, leav- ing the nationalist representation in tje new Parliament 8 bare seven nernr lbers. John Dillon the mathematics lead : CT was defeated b3s F.. Devalera, Sinn Feinsr. for East Mayo, by majority of 400e. Joseph Devlin, however, de- feated Devalera for the West Ballast seat Devalera also was candidate in the South Down constituency
 POLLS VERY SMALL
 A prominent feature of the polling revealed by the count. Is the compara- tive smallness of the polls compared with the registered number of cleo tors. No figures are available yet as to what extent the army and navy have voted. It should also be noted tfat the defeat of the Asquithians es ; pecIally the former minister, in most cases can be attributed in part to split votes In three-copnered constituencies.
 Not only has no coalition minister been defeated, but most of them were re-elected by extraordinary majorities. For instance, Premier Lloyd Georges majority is about 12,000 Winston Churchill's 15,o00, and Andrew Bonar Laws 1S,000.
 Majorities we'll over 10000 were quite common among the coalitionists. On the other hand, the pacifsts were ai- most in every case ignominiously de- feated by heavy votes. The rejected in this group included Philip Snowden, James Ramsay Macdonald, William c. Anderson (labor member for Attercliffe division of Sheffield), Arthur Henderson, the labor leader; Robert |. Outhwhite Qiberal for Han. sss4A, Frederick w. Jowett, labor mem fesr for West Bradford), George Lans- bury former socialist member for the Bow and Bromley division of Tower and Charles P. Trevelyan. former parliamentary secretary for 
 ASQUITH DEFEAT SURPRISE
 Among the surprises of the election was the defeat of Herbert H Asquith, the former premier. He is rejected in company with most of his ab1est lieu tenants, including SirsIohn simon, for lner home secretary;s@ Reginald Me- Kenna, former chancellior of the ex- chequer; Walter Runciman, former president o fthe Board of Trade; Her bert Samuel, former postmaster gen eral; Charles F. Masterman. former chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and others.
 Labor fared badly in the elections, <bou0fr hoffar than the smith Ia ms. They had expected to elect at least 100 members, whereas they have only ap, 75. of whom 10 are coali- tionists Even this, however, is q much larger representation than la Dor had in the old Parliament.