Some hostile critics, in the bitterness of defeat, have suggested
that the polls were small, and that therefore the Election was indecisive. In London, it is true, barely half the electors voted, but the country did better. According to the Timer, 9,681,014 electors voted In the 499 British constituencies which were contested. The average division contains about 35,000 voters, no that the total electorate of these constituencies would be about 17,000,000. We have to remember, however, that 82 British seats were uncontested, and that these represent nearly. 3,000,000 more voters. Thus over twelve and a half million electors out of twenty millions took part, actively or silently, in the Election. Moreover, many sailors and soldiers on active service could not'or would not vote. In the circumstances we should say that dm polls were fairly heavy. The tendency which they showed was at any rate unmistakable. Not even Mr. Ramsay MacDonald's "German friend,'" could explain away ouch electoral figures.
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