New-York tribune., 1920-02-27
Election
Believed to Spell
End Of Coalition
Former Premier's Return to
Parliament Eclipses All
Political Questions and
eawa k ems Liberalism

LONDON, Feb 2G.-Al no,;.:..,
questions are for the moment co,
pletely eclipsed by former Premier a.
quith's triumphant return TO psr,;.
ment by majority the size OF uh;..
astonished everybody, including ii,
own supporters. The result is un;y.,
sally recognized as 4 notable uershn.
achievement even for a statesman u;,s
Mr. Asquith's long record. while u.
restoration Of his presence and infr
ence in the counsels Of Parliamen. IL
held to be an event destined to hav.
important consequences in the pol;s;..
Of Great Britain, and probably tss
world.
Politicians of all parties talked o.
nothing yesterday but the possibilit,e,
opened by his active resumption ~
leadership Of the Opposition. which ),
IS generally conceded, Mr. Asquith viii
take over forthwith from Sir Donald
MacLean, whose tenure always has been
regarded more or less temporary. I.
is understood Mr. Asquith viii take his
seat in the House next Monday. and he
IS assured hearty ovation, i oplT
on personal grounds. and probably viii
make his first speech next week duriny
the debate on the second reading q
the Irish bill.
Press Welcomes His Return
Most newspapers heartily welcom.
the return Of the great Liberal leader
even those which opposed him roljt;
cally having good words for him. Their
views as to the significance of his eiec-
Uion. however, differ widely. il being
va'iously declared to be due. among
other things, to growing popular dis
gust with the coalition Government,
popular hostility to the Labor program
OF decentralization, which Mr.. Asouith
condemns. and rewakenine
Liberalism. Among other causes sub.
'nitted by the press as accounting for
the former Premier's big majority is
the vote cast by women, Il being con-
tended. on the one hand, that women are
afraid of the Labor movement. and on
the other hand, that they are irritated
by the high prices, which they are dis
posed TO attribute TO the present gov.
ernment.
The Times" which heads its ed.
torial comment "A Turning Point
interprets the election as Reputation
of the coalition government, hostility
TO which. it says, has been driving
electors toward Labor because the peo.
pie thought they saw therein the only
alternative"
Sees End of Coalition
The newspaper welcomes the return
OF Mr.. Asquith as a greater parlia-
mentarlan than any man row in Com
mons. and is convinced he will
breathe fresh life and vlgor into that
lethargic assembly"
Mr.. Asquith's most con nspIcuous sup
porter of the London press. The Daily
News predicts he viii detach GER
tain number of Coalition Liberals from
the government. and expresses the be-
Lief the last general election on the
coalition ticket has been ought.
"The Daily Mail" also foresees de-
lection of Liberals from the coalition
organization, and thinks Premier Lloyd
George will move toward Liberal opin-
ion in an effort to retain the allegisnce
of that party" II is safe to assume
that next week will produce vastly in
teresting happenings in British poll
tics, especially in view of Mr.. Asquiths
opinion that the time for coalition il
over and that for return to party pol
itics is overdue.