A FREE GENERAL ELECTION
Sra,—Your plea for a free general election as soon as the occasion requires suggests the question, Why not free by-elections? Hitherto by-elections have, as a rule, been in all respects unreal. By recent legislation this is, however, in one important respect to be changed. All three Parties approve the vigorous prosecution of the war and support of the Government to that end. Those objects would not be affected no matter to which Party a successful candidate belonged, and no anti-war candidate can secure election even if he has three pro-war candidates against him. There seems, therefore, no risk to the prosecution of the war if we, the electors, were once again given the free choice of our representatives and the present objectionable practice of granting "coupons " to approved candidates came to an end.—Yours obediently,
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