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The British Elections of December, 19231

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

William Thomas Morgan
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Extract

Not only were the results of the British national election of last December momentous for the British people themselves, but it may be doubted whether any other election in the country's history ever excited as much interest in foreign lands. The United States was much concerned at the possibility of Great Britain erecting a tariff wall around not only the British Isles but the British Empire as well. The dominions were vitally interested. The whole of Europe awaited with increasing anxiety the decision of the British electorate, as upon it depended to some degree, at any rate, the next step of the British government in the settlement of the all-important problem of reparations upon which the reconstruction of Europe depended.

Type
Foreign Governments and Politics
Information
American Political Science Review , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , May 1924 , pp. 331 - 340
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 1924

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Footnotes

1

The author of this article was in England during the period of the elections.

References

2 Weekly Manchester Guardian, Nov. 23.

3 Mr. Redfern, Manchester Guardian, Dec. 5; Lloyd George at Camberwell, Dec. 5; Manchester Guardian, Dec. 4; Daily Herald, Dec. 5; Lord Grey at Ports mouth, Dec. 3; Lord Charnwood, letter to Times, Nov. 30; Editorial, Daily Chronicle, Nov. 23. See also Morning Post, Nov. 21 and 23.

4 SirOlivier, S., 19th Century, Jan., 1924Google Scholar; McLaughlin, Father, 19th Century, July, 1923.Google Scholar

5 Daily Herald, Dec. 3.

6 SirOlivier, S., 19th Century, Jan., 1924.Google Scholar

7 Murray, S. L., Fortnightly Review, Dec., 1922Google Scholar, Daily Herald, Dec. 3.

8 The Liberals showed from the statements of Conservative ministers that they must collect a revenue of £60,000,000 on imports worth £200,000,000, or 30 per cent, which appeared very high, indeed, to free trade England. Pringle, W.M.R., Contemporary, Jan., 1924.Google Scholar

9 Manchester Guardian, Nov. 19; National Review, Jan., 1924.

10 Garvin, Observer, Dec. 9; New Statesman, Dec. 1; Weekly Manchester Guardian, Dec. 7.

11 SirHopkinson, A., Contemporary, Jan., 1924Google Scholar; National Review, Jan., 1924.

12 The statements in this paragraph are based upon an examination of all the important posters, pamphlets, and broadsides issued by the national organizations of the three parties.

13 Weekly Manchester Guardian, Dec. 7; New Statesman, Dec. 8.

14 Webb said later in the election that he gave the Liberals too many.

15 Manchester Guardian, Dec. 6 and 7. The Nation (Dec. 1) was too cautious to make any definite prediction. The Times (Dec. 3) was equally careful.

16 Nation and Spectator, Dec. 15; Morning Post, Dec. 8.

17 Times, Dec. 27; Spectator (Dec. 15), Observer (Dec. 9) and National Review (Jan., 1924) gave the Conservative loss as 20,000, but the Weekly Guardian (Dec. 14) gives 76,000. George Cockerill estimated that the Conservatives gained 40,000 votes. Times, Dec. 27.

18 Manchester Guardian, Dec. 3. The Sunday Times (Dec. 9) gave 254.

19 In 19 constituencies, won by Labor, their total vote was 173,000 to their opponents 229,000. It is well to note, moreover, that despite the fact that the Conservatives polled less than 600,000 votes (about 27 per cent) more than the Liberals in triangular contests, they actually secured two and a quarter times as many seats. Sunday Times, Dec. 9.

20 Observer, Dec. 9.

21 Weekly Manchester Guardian, Dec. 14; Observer, Dec. 9. The Conservatives and Laborites had three each. This gain of five came “as a surprise to all parties,” said the Spectator (Dec. 18), “For our part, we think it one of the best features of the election that such women as the Duchess of Athol, Lady Terrington, and Miss Margaret Bondfield ‥‥ should have been returned to parliament.”

22 Times, Nov. 25. Mrs. Philippson was returned later in a by-election. Not one of the retiring women members lost her seat.

23 Yet they secured less than five times as many seats. SirOlivier, S., 19th Century, Jan., 1924Google Scholar; Ponsonby, A., Contemporary, Jan., 1924Google Scholar; Weekly Manchester Guardian, Dec. 14; Observer, Dec. 2. They polled in 1923 nearly seventy times as many votes as in 1902. Nation, Nov. 2.

24 Observer, Dec. 9.

25 National Review, Jan., 1924; Times (editorial) Dec. 8; Observer, Dec. 9.

26 Sparrow, W. S., 19th Century, Jan. 1924Google Scholar; National Review, Jan. 1924.

27 Times, Dec. 8; Observer, Dec. 9.

28 Sparrow, W. S., 19th Century, Jan. 1924.Google Scholar See also J. W. Borden's article in same number. National Review (Jan. 1924) said that Lloyd George's personal following is not more than twenty in the present parliament. The party, however, is unquestionably strengthened by the election of such men as Masterman, E. D. Simon and Ramsay Muir. Nation, Dec. 15.

29 SirHopkinson, A., Contemporary, Jan. 1924Google Scholar; National Review, Jan. 1924.

30 Spectator, Nov. 24; Evening News (editorial) Dec. 7. The Spectator feared the party might have to go to the country in three sections. See also Sunday Times, Dec. 9; Weekly Manchester Guardian, Dec. 7.

31 SirHopkinson, A. and Ponsonby, A.. Contemporary, Jan. 1924Google Scholar; Times, Dec. 12.

32 SirHopkinson, A., Contemporary, Jan. 1924Google Scholar; Times and Evening News (editorial) Dec. 7. One writer says that Baldwin's courage in rushing the election “is magnificent but surely it is not politics.” New Statesman, Dec. 1.

33 SirCecil, E., Contemporary, Jan. 1924Google Scholar; Sir A. Hopkinson, ibid; Times (editorial) Dec. 8; Observer, Dec. 9.

34 Times, Dec. 12. Many people resented the elevation of Sir George Younger to the peerage soon after the election of 1922, because of his great brewery interests.

35 Times Dec. 19; Nation, Dec. 15; The Times (Dec. 9) printed the opinions of ten of the leading newspapers as to what should be done on account of the stalemates. Five favored Liberal-Conservative coöperation; four, a Liberal-Laborite working agreement. The Times was doubtful. See also Spectator, Dec. 15.

36 Observer, Dec. 9. Mr. Garvin was most indignant over the attitude of the press trust.

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