THE ELECTION OF PARLIAMENT 187

The sending out of the Address involves much work in
envelope addressing, on which a keen party organisation starts
well in advance, so as to free its helpers for other work. In
charge of all their labours is an agent appointed by the candidate
and responsible for seeing that the electoral laws are kept. The
party organisations in many constituencies maintain full-time
agents who manage both the elections and the party activities
at other times. The agent and his subordinates arrange for the
display of posters throughout the constituency, the establishment
of committee rooms in each district, the distribution of leaflets
and the hiring of meeting-halls. The local organisation keeps in
touch with the national headquarters of the party, from whom
comes most of the literature used in the campaign. Tours are
arranged for the chief figures in the party so that their help
shall be brought to bear in the marginal constituencies where
the fight is keenest.

The candidate is deluged with letters which, since his party's
policy can be learnt from the Election Address, usually ask
his opinion on non-party matters. What is his view of Sunday
amusements? Will he support or oppose vivisection, voluntary
sterilisation, relaxation of the licensing laws, taxes on cats,
compulsory inspection of monasteries,1 and many other proposals.
If he is wise he will answer all these queries, for the elector will
be less annoyed by a refusal of his request than by neglect of his
letter. Much of the candidate's remaining time will be spent at
meetings. In the daytime he can catch factory workers at the
dinner hour, or, parking a loud-speaker van in the street, can
address housewives even though they stay indoors. At the end
of the day the number of meetings grows—at street corners,
in open spaces, and inside halls. The candidate must speak at
as many places as he can, and While he moves from one to
another his supporters must keep'the meeting going. Nor will
his audience be satisfied with a speech; they will expect him to
answer questions, and sometimes he will spend half his time at

1 This sounds improbable, but is within the writer's experience.