Evening star., 1951-10-21

interests than do the various parts
of the United States. Hence, the
custom had grown up that a man
may stand anywhere for Parlia-
ment. regardless of residence. MIR.
Churchill lives in Kent, but repre-
sents an Essex district, and MIR.
Attlee lives in one London suburb
and represents another. In Amer
lea, of course, 1t would be unheard
of for a Brooklynite to be elected
from an upstate New York district
and Illegal for him to represent
another State In the House.
A general election must be held
at least once every five years, but
can be held more frequently. The
Parliament which Just diSbanded
was only about 18 months old, but
ended when Mr. Attlee decided that
with a hard winter coming up
and with only a slim Labor ma
iority in Commons-the people de-
served chance to express them
selves Loss of a vote of conf
dence on major issue also can
kill government and cause an
election.
Practically speaking, Parliament
ended when the Prime Minister
made up his mind to have an elec-
tion. But legally it worked this
way: Mr.. Attlee asked the King to
prorogue Parliament, and the order
came down from the crown. Parlia-
ment having been dismissed, an
election became necessary.
$1,000 in q District
British constituencies are smaller
than American congressional dis
tricts-about 10000 is the average
population. Any one may run, with
or without party support. But TO
keep the ballot from being clut-
tered up with splinter parties and
lunatic fringe individuals, candi-
dates are required to post f250 bond,
which is forfeited if candidate
polls less than 10 per cent of the
vote. The Communists lost a good
bit OF money that way in 1850, when
their last M. P, Scot Willie GAL
lacher of Fife West. was turned out.
Voting in Britain is different in
some respects from that in the
United States. There is nation
wide universal suffrage and no poll
tax-every one over 81 may vote
except peers, lunatics and felons
(the last two categories are barred
for obvious reasons; aristocrats are
excluded because they have their
own House of Lords, of which each
peer is automatically a member).
Also, British elections are different
because a larger proportion of the
people votes: In 1948, 81 per cent
OF American eligibles cast ballots:
last election in Britain, "a per cent
voted.
When the returns are in, Britain
and the world will know who will
guide the kingdom in the critical
period ahead. With 625 seats in
the House, 313 is najority-but
too small for comfort, about $50
being the practical minimum. At
the end of the last Parliament, the
division was Labor, 313; Conserva-
tive, 2s6; Liberal, 9; splinter parties,
3; vacancies, 3, and the normally
non-voting Speakers seat.
If the Conservatives gain more
than 16, but fewer than 81 seats,
Mr. Churchill will have the unen-
Viable job of forming a government
without a working majority. He
probably could depend on some
Liberal votes to help him out, but
Lady Megan Lloyd George, daugh-
ter OF the World War I Premier.
has served notice that she isn't
going to use her Liberal vote to
help the Tories scuttle Labor.
If Mr.. Attlee's Laborites win, but
gain fewer than At seats, Socialism
will be on an extremely rocky road.
And though Lady Megan might give
Labor her vote occasionally, there
are other Liberals who would Join
the Tories in trying to shoot down
the Attlee regime at every turn.