12 JULY 1935, Page 2

* * * * Canadian Election Prospects The prospects of

a victory for the Liberals in Canada at the coming General Election (probably next month) are considerably increased by the decision of Mr. H. H. Stevens, formerly Minister of Trade and Commerce in Mr. Bennett's Cabinet, to form a new party of his own. Mr. Stevens resigned from the Cabinet after a conflict caused by his action in publishing prematurely a brochure based on evidence given before an official Price Spreads Commission, of which he was chairman. The new party has so far neither name, organization nor programme, but Mr. Stevens, who is to tour the Dominion for it, 'is likely to launch an attack on Big Business wand its nti- social practices, as well understood in the United States and well enough in Canada. Mr. Bennett in the last months of his administration made a sudden swing to the Left, but the prospects of Liberal success remain un- impaired, and various electoral successes in the provinces have strengthened them further. Mr. Stevens' party can hardly hope to achieve much itself, but its creation should deprive Mr. Bennett of his last slender chance of retaining office. Negotiations on such matters as the Ottawa agreements will take on a very different aspect if Mr. Mackenzie King, with his Free Trade convictions, returns to power.