On Thursday a decision was come to which somewhat waters
down the advice given above. It was that each member of the party must pledge himself to be at the disposal of the officers in order to assist at the contests at Hanley and Crewe. This means, it is understood, that there will be no wholesale deser- tion of the House during the next fortnight, and that the threatened withdrawal will merely mean the absence of a certain number of members for platform work. This result is said to be due to the astute way in which the Liberal Whip has arranged the course of public business during the critical fortnight. The Franchise Bill, to which the Labour Party naturally attach immense importance, is put down for Monday and Wednesday next. It is stated that the great fall in the Government majority on the Army Estimates, noted by us elsewhere, was due to the abstention of Labour members. Clearly the friction is very great, and we doubt whether the situation will really be improved from the Government point of view by the so-called astute tactics of the Whips.
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