Sir Herbert Samuel has returned to British politics after an
absence of seven years. He has become chairman of the Liberal Organization Committee and he has the almost unique advantage of being accepted by both wings of the Party. It is hardly likely that he will be able to reconcile them, but at all events as they are both reconciled to him he will be able freely to exercise his organizing abilities, which are very great. On Monday, speaking at a dinner of the Eighty Club, he said that it was the firm intention of his Committee to put forward at least 500 Liberal candidates at the next General Election. He suggested that five subjects should be placed at the head of the Liberal programme—industrial relations, coal, land, cost of living and electoral reform. We notice that he said nothing about Temperance Reform, which used regularly to appear in Liberal programmes. Perhaps it would have been an embarrassing subject for him to tackle, as we believe he is opposed to Local Option—the basis of the Bishop of Liverpool's Bill, which is generally popular with Liberals.
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