The strength of the Labour_ Party is notoriously in the
towns. The rural districts are uninterested or doubtful. Unless Labour can make marked progress in the country- side it cannot have any strong hope of a commanding majority. Mr. Snowden sees all this, and with the capa- city for cool calculation which gives him an air of detachment says that a Labour-Liberal alliance is desirable, as by this means alone can the early stages of the desired evolution be assured. Oddly enough he is supported by the most gifted writer in the Independent Labour Party, Mr: H. N. Brailsford, who says something of this sort : " I believe that extreme measures for introducing ' So- cialism in our time' are quite feasible, but unfortunately the Parliamentary leaders of Labour have swung to the right instead of to the left. As sensible people we must recognize this fact. I therefore prefer an immediate alliance with the Liberals to a long period of impotence."
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