THE PERIL OF THE UNIONIST PARTY. [To THE Ehnen. or
Tat " SPEOrnort."] Sza,—As one of your readers for many years, and an admirer of your outspoken and fearless articles, may I pass a few com- ments on your leader of last week, with particular reference to my own experiences? Returned to Parliament as a Unionist without a coupon, I find myself supported by most of the leading Liberals in my constituency. The seat was from 1906 to 1918 consistently held by a Liberal. What is to be my action towards these Liberals? Am I to point a loaded revolver at their heads and say, " You must join the Tory Party "? We all think first of all that the safety of our country must be our main consideration; we all believe in the integrityof the British Empire; we all oppose any form of State Socialism or Nationali- zation of Industry. As to so-called Social Reform, surely that is an old topio upon which there have been many divisions even in the. Unionist Party. There are in that party, as we all know, many old fossils who have no chance whatever of leading our party to victory. Go near the armchairs of the Carlton Club, and I am afraid the occupants of many of them really think we are back in the Middle Ages. Unless we can put these croakers in the background, the same men who railed against Benjamin Disraeli and Joseph Chamberlain, we will drive away the moderate Liberal from sheer fright of our views. Surely the Unionist Party, or whatever name our party may have, should be wide enough and broad enough to embrace men who disagree on trifles but agree on essentials. Any attempt to point loaded revolvers or present ultimatums will have fatal results. Why should we drive men out of our party who agree with us on nine points out of ten?—I am, Sir, &c.,
Jolts R. Them, M.P.
Elmhurst, Blundelleands, Liverpool.
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