THE UNIONIST. PARTY.
(To THE EDITOR. OF THE " SFECTLTOR."3 Sus, If; as. I think it appears -from the.article in your issue of December 25th, you favour the creation of an Independent Unionist Party, having no allegiance to -the leaders of the Unionist Party who are members of the Coalition Govern- ment, I am of opinion that you are advocating a. most dangerous proposition, one which would be not only dangerous for the future maintenance of the Unionist Party, but dangerous also to the reconstruction and settling 'down of the nation, which we all so earnestly desire. Is this the time to reintroduce party faction and party strife? As it is we have the Independent Liberal Party, the Labour Party, the Socialist or Communist Party, the Nationalist Party, besides many independent Members of Parliament; Surely these supply sufficient critics to any legislation this Government may propose without creating a new party, a party which I presume would be analogous to the Independent Liberal Party.
You state: (1) "'That the Unionist Party is, or rather should be made, a great-national asset." I affirm that never in its history has• ate Unionist Party been a greater asset to the nation than when it sunk small party differences and joined with those patriotic and moderate members of the Liberal and Labour Parties in creating the Coalition Party, and I further assert that it would be a disaster to the nation if, at this critical time, the present Government were defeated by the splitting up of : the -Unionist Party.
(2) "That that party is not at present properly fulfilling its functions." Why not? The-majority of the Unionist Party were returned to Parliament as supporters of - the Coalition Government, and surely so long as those leaders of the Unionist Party who are members of the Coalition Govern- ment_ remain iu such Government it is the duty of the Coali- tion Unionist Members to support their leaders.
(3) "That there is time to save it, though only just time." Do you mean by this that there is a probability of the extinc- don. of the Unionist Party in the near future? I-firmly believe that in the event of the leaders of the Unionist Party resign- ing from the Coalition Government because of some proposed legislation to which they were opposed, a party with Unionist principles- would arise which would be infinitely stronger than any previous Unionist Party, but until such event should happen it -is the duty of all loyal Unionists to support the present Government.
(4) "-That it can only, be saved through members of the party outside the Cabinet, and undrugged by the elixirs of oppor- tunism, insisting that, though grateful to the Prime Minister and his colleagues for many of their fine qualities, they cannot be considered and maintained in power as Lloyd Georgeites or Boner Lawites or Coalitionists, but only as Unionists." It is this paragraph which made me write this letter, and I reaffirm that the suggestion contained therein, if carried out, would be most dangerous both to the Unionist Party and to the nation.
If I may say so, I consider the next paragraph in your article most ungenerous to those leaders of the Unionist Party who are members of the Coalition Government, and to whom the nation is so greatly- indebted for co-operating with certain members of the Liberal and Labour Parties, and thereby to so large an extent assisted In defeating our late enemies, and for using their best endeavours to combat those terrible difficulties which, of -necessity, must arise after all great wars. Alter all, what is it that the nation has-to face in the future? Ii 4t not a fight, and a severe fight, between those of moderate views and those of extreme Socialistic and Communistic views? And who can say - who will win? Surely it is the bounden deity of -all moderate men, whether they be Unionists or Liberals or members of the Labour Party, to use their 'best endeavours to fight those poisonous doctrines which are being propagated throughout the Empire. Will such fights be helped by splitting up the Unionist Party?—I am, Sir, &c.,
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