The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-12-07

DEMOCRACY AND THE BRITISH ELEC- |
TIONS
The British government is the first of the Allied
powers that is to go to the country" in election
following the world war. The present Parliament
has prolonged its existence for several years
beyond the regular election period under the ext
gencies of belgerent activities which precluded the
holding OF an election while the energies of the
whole nation absorbed in the death struggle for
self-preservaton.
Many electoral reforms have been instituted since
the last general election, the principal being
the extension of the franchise to women and the
elimination of many restrictions of the franchise
heretofore curtailing the vote of males. 1t is est
mated that in the coming election of December H.
the total electorate of Great Britain and Ireland will
be increased in comparison with former elections by
several tens of thousands; and a consequence of
the broadening of the franchise the labor element
will be more than ever before dominating factor
in the results.
The ministry, headed by Premier Lloyd George,
is coalition organization, in which the Tory ele-
ment is strongly in evidence Though the Welsh
statesman has risen to power by grace of the Lib
eral party he now finds himself isolated from the
party to which he is indebted for his early political
successes. He has staked his future on the record
OF his services to the country during the great war;
and evidently now depends upon the citation of the
victory to carry him back into power. The Coali-
tionists of the administration are to be included in
leeds. for out of the 400 Parliamentary candidates
only lao OF the Liberals have received the ndorse-
ment of the George combination. In the city of
London the government support is to be extended
to only Is of the 20 Liberals who represented the
city in the last Parliament.
1t is highly significant however, to note that the
Premier has lost the support of such typical demo-
cratic and Liberal newspaper as the Manchester
Guardian, which has heretofore been one of his
thick and thin advocates. This journal now is one
1v lie
attempts to stampede rather than to consult the cleo
tors. There is little doubt too that he will lose the
great bulk OF the Labor vote because of his attempts
to do the sensational circus trick of riding at the
same time two horses going in opposite directions.
The Labor body, too, is apt to show it's disgust at
his reputation of pledges of sef-government for
Ireland policy to which that party stands firmly
and officially committed, but which Lloyd George
tory. But the Labor electors have better concep-
ton of the meaning of democracy in government
than the Premier, who has slammed the door of
freedom ireands face at the instance of the little
group of Carson malcontents.
1t would not be surprising therefore to find that
the temperamental and indispensable Welsh leader
has mlsread the sentiment of the masses in the
present period of turbulence and msgiving. They
may take occasion to resent this manifestation of
British ruthlessness in the way as they main
tanned their logged fight against the imperialism of
the German Kaiser during the past four years. They
have witnessed and helped to encompass the down
tall OF the arbitrary power and gross selfshness of
the German "Kultur" and may have sensed the
meaning of the war for democracy in greater de-
gree than the government leaders, who are too
obsessed by political and personal ambitions to note
clearly the lessons of the great conflict
! The world will observe with keen interest the
results of the coming contests in Great Britain for
in them it will be to what extent the cause OF
democracy has been advanced by the war which was
,Waged to make it safe. Much will depend upon the
lsncerity and good faith of the leaders who have
rallied under the democratic banners while danger
Twas present Will they now continue to serve under
the same standard, will they revert to their old
Iemblems of parties and cliques?
But, after all, it is the great body Of the people
that must be depended upon to sustain the prin-
lciples of democracy in government. If the masses
of the people intelligent and alert they can
rule and nullify the tricks of the politicians and
selseekers. They are the distributors of the pow
and prizes of leadership and if they bring to the
exercse of the franchise the spirit of truth and fair
dealing, they can ultimately carry out their plans
land policies. Let us now see how the refortifed
Esprit of democracy will affect the elections in Great
Britain and Ireland.
WAR GAINS FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
i Has the Catholic Church gained or lost in the
great world war? Such is the interesting question
discussed by Rev. John ]. O'Gorman in a commune
cation from London. Broadly speaking, it may be