* * * * There remained, therefore, one more party
decision to make, and that not the least important. This was the decision of the Liberal Party. On Tuesday, at the meeting of the Liberal Members of the House of Commons, at the National Liberal Club, Mr. Asquith laid down the Liberal policy. Any form of coalition with the other parties was repudiated as strongly as it had been by the 'Labour Party. The Conservative Government must, and • would, be defeated as soon as possible. " I tell you plainly, I will not move a finger to continue or connive at a prolongation of their disastrous stewardship of national and international affairs." In other words, the Liberals will support the Labour amendment to the Address, and so immediately defeat the Government. Mr. Asquith then went on to consider in fact, if not in name, the situation that must arise when a Labour Government assumes office without a majority in the House of Commons. He evidently contemplated that, sooner rather than later, at any rate over the Budget, Labour would in turn be defeated. Mr. MacDonald, it was implied, would then press for a dissolution and a new election.
