Evening journal., 1922-11-15
GREAT BRITAIN
POLLS TODAY
Will Elect House of Com
mons; Lloyd Georges
Seat Not Contested
THIRTY WOMEN
SEEKING OFFICE
BY j. W. t. MASON

written for the United PressJ
Voting began this morning In
Great Britain for recollection OF a
new House Of Commons. The polls
will close at 3 p. m. and the re-
suit will be known some time to-
morrow. The balloting is secret.
The votes will be counted in each
con7tituency Immediately after the
closh 2 Of the polls and the success
full car iidates will be named TO the
waiting crowds. II is the British
custom for all candidates in each
constituency to hear the results to-
gethcr and for the unsuccessful ones
personally to congratulate the VIC
tor.
There will be 615 seats in the
new Commons. This is 96 less than
in the old parliament, due to the
termination of the south OF Ireland
representation, following the estab-
ushment of the Irish Free State.
The protestant north of Ireland,
however, will still be represented in
the commons because the Ulstermen
have refused 10 abandon their in
innate imperial relationship. North
ireland has 13 constituencies, Eng
land has 492. Scotland "a and Wales
SO.
Fifty-seven seats, including Lloyd
Georges, are not being contested.
For the remaining SOS seats there
are 1886 candidates in the field.
They are divided into six groups:
Conservatives. or Bonar Law Union
lists; National Liberals, or Lloyd
Tn1nnnnanwa
erals. or Asquith's party; Labor
party. or moderate wing OF the
workingmen; Independent Labor
party. or radical working class sup
porters; Independents, embracing all
who hold allegience to none Of the
foregoing.
About thirty women are among
the candidates. headed by Lady As
tor. and including Lady Wintrlng-
ham. Lady Cooper. Lady Howardj
Stepney and Mrs. Arthur Bourchiep
the actress.
The election is being fought on.
new register. which adds nearly a
million voters to the number en-
titled TO vote at the last previous
election, In 1918. Eight million wo-
men will cast their ballots today
for their second parliamentary cleo
ton since their enfranchisement. |
The total number Of persons entitled
10 vote approximate 22,OOO.O00. At
the 1913 election, only fifty per cent
Of the registered voters went to the
polls. This was largely due to- the
fact that 106 constituencies were
uncontested.
The chief Interest in today's con-
test. apart from the effort of the
Conservatives TO secure an absolute |
majority over all other parties. Is /
In the showing that will be made |
by the Labor Party. Mem be-sh!p IN !
British trades unions declined ,ast I
year from s,5OO.0OO to 6.sOO.OOO, !
due partly TO unemploy1n and /
partly to desertions by women work. |
ers.
There were 76 labor members IN |
the last parliament. The labor lead /
ers hope TO secure 200 seats at to-
days elections and they will be /
greatly disappointed II they don't 1
have at least $50. Should the num- /
her be less than 100, the result will |
mean a violent turn on the part Of /
Nnt blAL4eH VOTERS against Lut IduA- Z
cal platform OF the laborites. II |
labor approximates 200 victories. /
probably nothing can prevent a ia
Dor government coming into power /,
at the next following election.
Lloyd Georges partisans are not /
expected TO be numerous in the new /
House OF Commons. II the Lloyd .
George liberals hold the balance Of /
power. It will be surprising. To re- /
gain his political prestige Lloyd
George will probably have TO form 4
an amalgamation with another par
ty. Whether ne viii unite with the I
Asquith Liberals or with the Con-
gervatives he doubtless doesn't know
yet. himself