NEWS OF THE WEEK.
PROBABLY the most important event of the week, though its full significance, is not yet generally understood, is the defeat of the Coalition candidate at the Pontypridd by-election, which took place on Tuesday. There is no redeeming feature whatever from the point of view of the Government. As the election was caused by the appointment of the sitting Member to be a Junior Lord of the Treasury, the defeat cannot be excused on the ground that a new and untried candidate had suddenly come before the electors. Mr. Arthur Lewis, the sitting Coalitionist Liberal, in 1918 had a majority of over 3,000 votes. On Tuesday he was in a minority of over 4,000. There are now two Coalition-Liberal Junior Lordships of the Treasury vacant. Too much importance, no doubt, must not be attached to any by-election, but the Pontypridd result is certainly a curious comment on the assertion that the Coalition is quite unshaken. It is very badly shaken, and at any moment we may see a sensational collapse in the House of Commons, followed by a still greater and more sensational collapse in the country.
