WE now scan the result of the General Election, not through political, but through Protestant spectacles. Throughout the country candidates were questioned as to their attitude on political Romanism, the defence of the Reformed character of the English Church, and the Government Inspection of Convents and Monasteries. Many of our readers have sent us the replies they received, and the United Protestant Council—of which our Society forms a constituent part—registered 300 replies received at Headquarters from the 1600 candidates. This figure, would, in the main, be in addition to the replies to individual voters. The report of the Acting Secretary of the United Council claims a nucleus of 100 members in the new House of Commons known to be in sympathy with our aims and principles—this is a minimum.
From the Protestant angle the most conspicuous victory is credited to our esteemed friend Dr. James Little who, notwithstanding the most bitter opposition, had a majority in County Down of 24,000—one of the largest majorities in the whole election. We sent him the following telegram:—
“Ten thousand congratulations on your magnificent victory. The
Publicans and Papists fall but your God-honouring witness stands.”
*We take the liberty of reprinting this article from the Mr. Kersit’s Churchman’s Magazine. It is the best account of the Election results we have seen from the Protestant standpoint.—Editor.
Professor Savory has been again returned for Belfast University, and the Chichester division of Sussex gave a majority of 17,000 to Lt.-Cmldr. L. W. Joynson Hicks, whose sterling Protestantism is so well known, and who was our President in the year 1937-38.
We regret, on the other hand, to record the rejection of Mr. Ernest Brown and Mr. Isaac Foot, both staunch Protestants.
Mr. Longbottom, at Liverpool, and Mr. Cormack, at Leith—both of whom stood as Protestants—did not do as well as was expected.
In the new House the Nonconformists will have strong representation. “The Friends” appear to have had the largest proportion of their candidates returned. Mr. P. Noel Baker was at the head of the poll at Derby and his friend was returned for the Brentford Division of Middlesex, while Sir John Barlow gained a seat as Liberal National for Eddisbury. Mr. Wilson Harris, who is also a Member of the Society of Friends and editor of The Spectator, has been returned for Cambridge University.
The Baptists have a good representative in the Rt. Hon. A. V. Alexander, who is the popular Lord of the Admiralty. Methodists returned some sixteen of their candidates including the Rt. Hon. Wm. Whiteley, Chief Government Whip, and Brig. F. Medlicott who won again in East Norfolk. Amongst other Methodists returned were Mr. Joseph Gibbins (West Toxteth) and Major Henderson (Ardwick). Mr. Michael Foot was successful at Devonport.
The following—who have been returned to the new House—voted in the Protestant Lobby against the Deposited Prayer Book, in 1928:—Allen, Lt.-Col. Sir William J. (U.), Armagh; Alexander, Rt. Hon. A. V. (Lab.), Hillsbro’; Barnes, A. (Lab.), East Ham; Beamish, Rear-Adml. T. P. H. (Con.), Lewes; Cluse, W. S. (Lab.), Islington S.; Crookshank, Capt. H. (Con.), Gainsborough; Davies, R. J. (Lab.), Westoughton; Edwards, C. (Lab.), Monmouth, Bedwellty; Gibbins, Joseph (Lab.), West Toxteth; Grenfell, D. R. (Lab.), Glamorgan; Hall, G. H. (Lab.), Aberdeen; Hannon, Sir P. (Con.), Moseley; John, W. (Lab.), Rhondda W.; Lawson, J. J. (Lab.), Chester-le-Street; MacDonald, Sir M. (Lib.), Inverness; Morrison, R. C. (Lab.), Tottenham N.; O’Neill, Rt. Hon. Sir Hugh (U.), Antrim; Thurtle, Ernest (Lab.), Shoreditch; Viant, S. P. (Lab.), Willesden W.; Westwood, Rt. Hon. J. (Lab.), Stirling; Whiteley, W. (Lab.), Blaydon; Williams, T. (Lab.), Don Valley; Young, Sir Robert (Lab.), Newton.
The following Members who are now to hold Ministerial positions in the Government voted against the Deposited Prayer Book and may, therefore, be reckoned in our Protestant ranks:—Alexander, A. V., First Lord of the Admiralty; Barnes, A., Minister of Transport; Hall, G. H., Colonial Secretary; Lawson, J. J., Minister of War; Westwood, J., Secretary for Scotland; Whiteley, W., Parl. Secretary to the Treasury; Williams, T., Minister of Agriculture; Paling, W., Minister of Pensions; Oliver, G. H., Under Secretary, Home Office.
On the other hand, the following Ministers voted for the semi-Romanised Prayer Book:—Attlee, C. R., Prime Minister; Dalton, H., Chancellor of the Exchequer; Greenwood, A., Lord Privy Seal; Wilkinson, Ellen, Minister of Education; Lawrence, Pethick, Secretary for India. Now raised to the Peerage.
Mr. Attlee, and the ex-Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill, both voted in the wrong Lobby in the Prayer Book debates.
Roman Catholic Returned Candidates.
Callaghan, Lieut. L. J. A. (Lab.), Cardiff South; Crosthwaite-Eyre, Lt.-Col. (Con.), New Forest; Cunningham, P. (Ir. Nat.), Fermanagh & Tyrone; Delargy, Capt. H. (Lab.), Manchester Platting; Edwards, W. (Lab.), Whitechapel; Ewart, R. (Lab.), Sunderland; Fleming, E. L. (Con.), Withington, Manchester; Fraser, Major H. C. P. (Con.), Stone, Staffs; Hannon, Sir P. (Con.), Moseley, Birmingham; Hollis, C. (Con.), Devizes; Logan, D. G. (Lab.), Liverpool, Scotland; McGovern, J. (Lab.), Glasgow, Shettleston; McKay, J. (Lab.), Wallsend; Morgan, D. H. B. (Lab.), Rochdale; Mulvey, M. A. (Ir. Nat.), Fermanagh & Tyrone; O’Brien, T. (Lab.), Nottingham West; Stokes, R. (Lab.), Ipswich; Teeling, Flt.-Lt. W. (Con.), Brighton; Timmins, J. (Lab.), Bothwell.