* * * * The best joke of the electoral
campaign is that of the Ministry of Labour, which has had notices posted in - the Labour Exchanges warning the unemployed not to undertake canvassing for money. Paid canvassing is, of course, illegal. Why not similarly insulting warnings against any other offences, crimes or felonies ? These notices were withdrawn, but the next step of the Ministry was to inform the unemployed that if they canvassed at all they must report the fact to a Labour Exchange. Why.? We remember the fulminations of Labour, not to say of Mr: Lloyd George, against the squires who were said to interfere with electoral freedom. The poor squires, whose lives are lived under the gaze of the ' village, were much too frightened of the• local Press and local gossip to do any such thing. But here, under Labour, we have a regular unashamed attempt to restrict the freedom of electors. It is an early foretaste of Socialist regimentation.
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