The arrangements for' the General Election have plunged the constituencies
in confusion. The differences between the Unionist candidates and Coalition Liberals are not at- all simple to- adjust. It is easy for headquarters in London to • order Or suggest that this or that candidate should- stand down in favour of his opponent so that the stipulated proportion of Unionists and Liberals in the Coalition should. be secured, but it is quite another matter to put these plans into practice. Local feeling in a great many places runs high and very rebelliously. So far as one can under- stand the situation at present, however, it seems that two hundred and eighty seats are provided for the Unionists and about a hundred and fifty for Coalition Liberals. There can be little doubt that in several constituencies a Liberal will oppose a Unionist where both candidates wfil be supporters of the Coalition. In such cases it may be easy for a non-Coalition Liberal or a Labour candidate to slip in. But, in spite of the unquestionable confusion, nobody doubts that the circumstances promise an almost certain victory for the Coalition.
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