The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-10-28
AndreW Bonar Law
Becomes p RI m e
Minister Of Great.
Britain New Cabi-
net to Be Announc-
ed

& pL{Ii{S IIfli9fSlcItctiu III ~ ioio "
treasury and thus becomes Eng
lands first Canadian born pre-
Haier
Today was devoted 70 the for
! maHties in monarchial country to
change in the governments The
king in the morning gave an aud
sence to and took formal leave OF
the outgoing prime minister. Lloyd
George. Then came the Uniouist
meeting in the afternoon when Bo-
mar Law was unanimously elected
head OF the party.
This was followed by an aud
ience a. Buckingham palace,
when Bonar Law at the kings IN
yitation undertook to form a new
administration,
The king viii hold priVy coun-
:. ell probably Wednesday, if the
pime minister has by then COM
paeted his ministry for the swear
ing in of the new ministers The
king viii on the advice of the
prime minister proclaim the dis
solution OF parliament Thursday
and according 10 present arrange
saent. elections VIII be held No
sember 5.
Bonar Law is understood to
have his cabinet list almost COM
pieted and it is expected it wilt be
announced tomorrow It is the
universal opinion tha. he succeeds
to most difficult and enerous
task. and many misgiyings are
heard as TO whether his health
win stand the Inevitable strain.
bnt he has made it quite clear
that if he finds his health unequal
TO the task he shall be allowed
quietly to step asid se---.s
The situations IS unique in the
annals of British politics. inasmuch
as with only three weeks to the
election date. none OF the leaders
: has yet announced his policy; each
side appears to be waiting on the
other. Lloyd Georges opponents
are making merry with the sug-
gestion that the sword he an
nounced himself as brandishing
when he left London Saturday
must have been lost somewhere on
the way TO Leeds.
Ii1e only real question before the
electorate is whether they wish to
he governed by coalition But
that can not properly be describ-
ed as an election plank. because,
except in the quite unanticipated
result of a tremendous landslide in
favor of one particular party it is
almost certain no party will be re-
turned strong enough to form a
government withou. the coopera-
ton Of some other party.
Ronar Law confirms that Ire
land is an agreed question and he
further intimated clearly aud
frankly at the Enionists' meeting
today thai tariff reforms or pro-
lection would not form an item of
his policy. And since Lloyd George
has announced himself as free
trader this question can not come
= IL liz sAtoaiS cS EcOttA4 Liz 1iUSI al
and Labor parties are in favor of
free trade. The prime minister
promises to define his policy in his
Z coming speech at Glasgow. bu.
judging from his remarks today i.
Will not be OF an eventful charac-
{ ter.
Previous TO the breakdown Of his
health, which forced him temper
arily TO retire from politics. Bo-
mar Law was a very close friend
Of Lloyd George and was identi-
fed with the entire coalition pol
Z icy; it is therefore practically i'm
possible that-he can in any import
ant measure reverse this policy.
Thus unless Lloyd George should
I take a strong turn in his policy.
there will be little difference be-
tween the policies of the two men.
The contest seems likely to be
one Of personalities of men rath-
er than measures so far as these
two parties are concerned. The
Free Liberals and the Laborites
have. OF course. well defined poll
cies and according to present indi-
cations are resolutely opposed to
any cooperation with Lloyd George
even should the former premier
seek reconciliation with either of
them.
The Laborites will resent the
fixing Of the elections for mid
week and will represent the decis-
ion as a deliberate intention Of the
Tnionist party to handicap the
workingmen voters. The Union
lists have two arguments against
delaying the elections until the fol-
lowing Saturday. First. that a short
time is allowed for passing Irish
legislation and. second. that the
country disHkes a general election
SO, near Christmas because it inter-
feres with Christmas shopping. Ii
the elections are held on Novem-
Der IS. parliament will be able to
reassemble on the Goth, but sew
eral days will be consumed in
swearing in the members. eiecting
the speaker and debating the re-
ply to the kings speech which. it
IS expected, Will contain only one
legislative item, namely, the Irish
constitution. Thus there will be very