old "mismanagement," said the Prime Minister, could be tolerated no more. All the elements of the national welfare must be looked to-rates of wages, housing, agriculture, industrial organisation, and the motive-power of industry, transportation, and many others. In these and other essentials the interest of the returned soldier would be as much involved as that of any part of the civilian population.

In work of this kind the pre-war party divisions would be obsolete and obstructive. All, Mr. Lloyd George said frankly, had made mistakes. The best traditions of each should now be combined to inspire united effort. The Government, at the head of the combination of parties which supported them, had ended the war. They now asked for the trust of the people in entering upon the tasks that the war had left as a legacy to the country. Mr. Law and Mr. Barnes both heartily supported the Prime Minister's proposal.

Meanwhile the Labour Party decided to sever itself from the Coalition and withdraw its members from the Government. The Labour Ministers nevertheless continued to support the Government. The Labour campaign commenced on November 14 with a great rally of the forces of Labour at the Albert Hall. Mr. J. McGurk, the Chairman of the National Executive, first requested the audience to stand "in silent remembrance of all those who have died or suffered in the struggle for the emancipation of humanity," and especially " of our comrades in prison everywhere." He declared that if that meeting was a reflex of the enthusiasm throughout the country, then on December 14 Labour would come into its own. "We have to-day at our conference," he said, "settled the fate of the Coalition. have decided to go to the country as a free and independent party."

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"We must make our battle-cry above all else, 'No more war.'' This was the keynote of a speech by Mr. J. H. Thomas, M.P., who expressed the opinion that the decision of Labour to break away from the Coalition was not only a wise decision for the party, but a wise decision for the country. He considered the principle of economic war, and said he wanted the peace terms to include economic conditions that would prevent the German capitalist from exploiting the German worker, and the English capitalist from exploiting the British workers.

The old plea on behalf of the Internationale was put forward by Mr. Arthur Henderson, M.P., who asked whether the peace was going to be a peace of justice or a peace of revenge? He claimed the right of the direct representation of Labour at the Peace Conference, and said they wanted, concurrently with the Peace Conference, a World Labour Conference, because they believed then there would be some possibility of getting a peace of justice. "The Government has to-day announced the dissolution of Parliament; Labour has announced the dissolution of partnership. Surely that ought to appeal to every citizen

in this great audience, unless you prefer some other way," he concluded.

Opposition to the Coalition also came from Mr. Asquith and his supporters who determined to appeal to the constituencies as independent Liberals.

There were thus three main groups before the country. The Coalition put over 500 candidates into the field, and there was hardly a constituency in Great Britain in which it was not represented. Mr. Asquith's Opposition Liberals and the official Labour Party had between them some 650 candidates. A number of candidates were also put forward by smaller groups, such as the Co-operative Union, the National Party, and the Federation of Discharged Soldiers and Sailors.

The Election campaign was given direction by the manifesto, issued on November 22 by Mr. Lloyd George and Mr. Bonar Law, in the following terms:

"TO THE ELECTORS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

"The Coalition Government, supported by the strenuous and united labours of the whole nation, has now accomplished the gravest portion of its task. Our enemies have been defeated in the field, their armies are broken, and their Governments are overturned. Thanks to the patient valour of the Hosts of Freedom, the knell of military autocracy has sounded for ever in the Continent of Europe.

"Other tasks directly arising out of the war now await our nation, and can only be surmounted by the good sense, the patriotism, and the forbearance of our people.

"The unity of the nation, which has been the great secret of our strength in war, must not be relaxed, if the many anxious problems which the war has bequeathed to us are to be handled with the insight, courage, and promptitude which the times demand. As a preliminary to the solution of these problems, it is essential that a fresh Parliament should be summoned, possessed of the authority which a General Election alone can give it, to make the peace of Europe and to deal with the difficult transitional period which will follow the cessation of hostilities. Indeed, the present Parliament has long outstayed its appointed term, and, meanwhile, millions of new voters, including for the first time representatives of the womanhood of the country, have been added to the electorate. It is right that the Government upon whom it devolves, in conjunction with our Dominions and our Allies, to settle the political future of Europe, should be supported by the confidence of the vast body of newly enfranchised citizens.

We appeal, then, to every section of the electorate, without distinction of party, to support the Coalition Government in the execution of a policy devised in the interest of no particular

class or section, but, so far as our light serves us, for the furtherance of the general good.

"Our first task must be to conclude a just and lasting peace, and so to establish the foundations of a new Europe that occasion for further wars may be for ever averted.

"The brilliant and conclusive triumph of the Allied Armies will, we hope, render it possible to reduce the burden of our armaments and to release, by successive and progressive stages, the labour and capital of the Empire for the arts of peace. To avert a repetition of the horrors of war, which are aggravated by the onward march of science, it will be the earnest endeavour of the Coalition Government to promote the formation of a League of Nations, which may serve, not only to ensure society against the calamitous results of militarism, but to further a fruitful mutual understanding between the associated peoples.

"Never have the men and women of our race played so great and commanding a part in the affairs of the whole world as during the tempests and trials of this great war, and never has the British name been so widely honoured.

"The care of the soldiers and sailors, officers and men, whose heroism has won for us this great deliverance, and who return to civil life, is a primary obligation of patriotism, and the Government will endeavour to assist such members of the armed forces of the Crown as may desire to avail themselves of facilities for special industrial training and to return to civil life under conditions worthy of their services to the country.

"Plans have been prepared, and will be put into execution as soon as the new Parliament assembles, whereby it will be the duty of public authorities and, if necessary, of the State itself to acquire land on simple and economical bases for men who have served in the war, either for cottages with gardens, allotments, or small holdings, as the applicants may desire and be suited for, with grants provided to assist in training and in initial equipment. In addition to this, we intend to secure and to promote the further development and cultivation of allotments and small holdings generally, so far as may be required in the public interest.

"Increased production must necessarily be the basis of all schemes for the improvement of the conditions of the people. The war has revealed the extent to which the resources of the country have been dissipated and depressed by lack of organisation or by wasteful organisation. It has been demonstrated that the land of the country, if properly cultivated and used, could have yielded food and other products of the soil to a much larger extent. It must be among the first tasks of the new Government to repair this error, which added so much to our difficulties in our struggles against the submarines of the enemy.

"The war has given a fresh impetus to agriculture. This must not be allowed to expire. Scientific farming must be promoted, and the Government regard the maintenance of a

satisfactory agricultural wage, the improvement of village life, and the development of rural industries as essential parts of an agricultural policy.

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Arrangements have been made whereby extensive afforestation and reclamation schemes may be entered upon without delay.

"A systematic improvement in the transport facilities of the agricultural areas must form an essential part of every scheme for the development of the resources of the soil, and the Government are preparing plans with a view to increasing these facilities on a large scale.

"The principal concern of every Government is, and must be, the condition of the great mass of the people who live by manual toil. The steadfast spirit of our workers, displayed on all the wide field of action opened out by the war, in the trenches, on the ocean, in the air, in field, mine, and factory, has left an imperishable mark on the heart and conscience of the nation. One of the first tasks of the Government will be to deal on broad and comprehensive lines with the housing of the people which during the war has fallen so sadly into arrears and upon which the well-being of the nation so largely depends. Larger opportunities for education, improved material conditions, and the prevention of degrading standards of employment; a proper adaptation to peace conditions of the experience which during the war we have gained in regard to the traffic in drink-these are among the conditions of social harmony which we shall earnestly endeavour to promote.

"It will be the fundamental object of the Coalition to promote the unity and development of our Empire and of the nations of which it is composed; to preserve for them the position and influence and authority which they have gained by their sacrifices and efforts in the cause of human liberty and progress; and to bring into being such conditions of living for the inhabitants of the British Isles as will secure plenty and opportunity to all.

"Until the country has returned to normal industrial conditions, it would be premature to prescribe a fiscal policy intended for permanence. We must endeavour to reduce the war debt in such a manner as may inflict the least injury to industry and credit. The country will need all the food, all the raw materials, and all the credit which it can obtain, and fresh taxes ought not to be imposed on food or upon the raw materials of our industry. At the same time a preference will be given to our Colonies upon existing duties and upon any duties which, for our own purposes, may be subsequently imposed. One of the lessons which has been most clearly taught us by the war is the danger to the nation of being dependent upon other countries for vital supplies on which the life of the nation may depend. It is the intention, therefore, of the Government to preserve and sustain, where necessary, these key industries in the way which experience and

examination may prove to be best adapted for the purpose. If production is to be maintained at the highest limit at home, security must be given against the unfair competition to which our industries may be subjected by the dumping of goods produced abroad and sold on our market below the actual cost of production.

"The military institutions of the country must necessarily be dependent upon the needs of the Empire and the prospective requirements of any League for the preservation of Peace to which this country may hereafter be a party. Meanwhile, it will be the aim of the Government to carry through the inevitable reductions in our military and naval establishments with the least possible suffering to individuals and to the best advantage of industry and trade.

"Active measures will be needed to secure employment for the workers of the country. Industry will rightly claim to be liberated at the earliest possible moment from Government control. By the development and control in the best interests of the State of the economical production of power and light; of the railways and the means of communication; by the improvement of the Consular Service; and by the establishment of regular machinery for consultation with representative trade and industrial organisations on matters affecting their interest and prosperity, output will be increased, new markets opened out, and great economies effected in industrial production.

"It will be the duty of the new Government to remove all existing inequalities of the law as between men and women.

"It has been recognised by all parties that reform is urgently required in the constitution of the House of Lords, and it will be one of the objects of the Government to create a Second Chamber which will be based upon direct contact with the people, and will, therefore, be representative enough adequately to perform its functions.

"The people of this country are not unmindful of the conspicuous services rendered by the Princes and people of India to the common cause of civilisation during the war. The Cabinet has already defined in unmistakable language the goal of British policy in India to be the development of responsible government by gradual stages. To the general terms of that declaration we adhere and propose to give effect.

"Ireland is unhappily rent by contending forces, and the main body of Irish opinion has seldom been more inflamed or less disposed to compromise than it is at the present moment. So long as the Irish question remains unsettled there can be no political peace either in the United Kingdom or in the Empire, and we regard it as one of the first obligations of British statesmanship to explore all practical paths towards the settlement of this grave and difficult question, on the basis of self-government. But there are two paths which are closed-the one leading to a complete severance of Ireland from the British

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