Steady

As the chill shadow of coal, food, housing and other shortages lengthened over England, Tory hopes for victory at the polls had risen proportionately. But last week, in two by-elections, the Tories got a jarring setback.

Through driving rain, Rotherhithe dockers and housewives plodded to the polls, elected Laborite Robert Joseph Mellish by a 4,444 majority. Twitted by jubilant Laborite Herbert Morrison, Tories replied: "Wait until tomorrow." With the U.S. Republican slogan "Had enough?" Tory leaders Lord Woolton and Anthony Eden had energetically stumped the former Tory stronghold of North Paddington, which had only gone Labor in the last general election. But middle-class North Paddington elected Laborite William James Field by a 3,000 majority.

Thus far the Labor Party had not lost a seat in 23 by-elections although its majorities had been reduced. Not since 1874-75 when Disraeli's Government went 16 months without losing a seat, had any British Government held so firm.

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