For a long time now. Sir Stafford Cripps' obiter dicta have haunted the dreams of Labour leaders. At! any moment Sir Stafford may be relied upon to make a public statement which gives votes to the opponents of his own party. Lately has-been observed that this genial irresponsibility has developed a ppelulance which arouses even greater anxiety among Sir Stafford's nominal colleagues. For some reason or} other, two carpet-baggers have been, sent fo contest the vacancy at Preston caused by Mr. W. M. Kirkpatrick's appointment in China.' Capiain C. E-Cobb, a Sussex man Is the National Government candidate and Mr. F. Bowles, a London solicitor. is endeavouring to win the seat Labour—not an impossible task in the conditions indicated at the General Election, but by no means facilitated by the incursions of Sir Stafford Cripps. Evidently this opinion has impressed itself on the Labour executive and so drawn from Dr. Hugh Dalton a startlingly outspoken censure. Capiain Cobb's organization will no doubt be pre. pared to give the Cripps aphorism li the publicity It requires. Whether it will be 29 disposed to quote Dr. Dalton, except to show the confusion of thought in the Labour party is a. matter on which those experienced electioneering tactics will be able; to form their own Judgment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.