FEDERAL HOME RULE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1545, 14 September 1912, Page 5

FEDERAL HOME RULE.

SPEECH BY MR- CHURCHILL. GREAT CHANGES IN ENGLAND FORESHADOWED. MANY PARLIAMENTS. By Telegraph—Press Aissocialion-Cupyriirht (Rec. September 13, 10.20 p.m.) London, September 1.1. A scheme, of Federal Homo Rule for tho United Kingdom was outlined by Mr. Winston Churchill in a speech delivered under tho auspices of the Dundee Women's Liberal Federation yesterday. Mr. Churchill said there would be no difficult}- in devising systems of Homo Rulo for Scotland and Wale?, but there would be a very real difficulty in England. England was so great and so populous that tho English Parliament, whatever its functions and limitations, would be almost as powerful as (he Imperial Parliament. If there was a divergence of feeling and policy between tho English and Imperial Parliaments, or a quarrel between thefo tremendously powerful bodies; the State might be torn in half, and great evils brought upon all. If it was desirable to set up a workable federal system they must, face the task of dividing England info several selfgoverning areas. Lancashire, Yorkshire, the Midlands, and London were instances of convenient legislative units. Ho had no hesitation in saying that larger units for local government would ba. a great advantage. They would, for instance, afford a. larger sphere than was open at present for tho activities of women. He would not in tho least bo disturbed by the prospect of seeing ten or twelve separate legislative bodies erected for the discharge of functions entrusted to them by the Imperial Parliament.

The creation of a federal system in the United Kingdom would be an immense task, but eacli part of the Kingdom would bo better looked after; public lifo would become richer; and the administration would be more sympathetic and searching. At the same time, tho Central Parliament would be relieved of a vast and oppressive burden, and have niore leisure In consider questions of foreign and colonial policy. The United States had a great many Parliaments. Germany had separate kingdoms, principalities, and armies, woven into a strong federation. Canada, South Africa, and Australia had also found tlio federal system the only way to reconcile the general interests of an organised state with tho special development of each part.

Federalism in Britain would be only another bold step onward to a closer union with the oversea Dominions which must bo achieved if Britain's greatness was to endure. Ho put the matter forward not. as an indication of the Government's policy and decision, but as bringing forward a question to which many political issues were moving. The .settlement of the Irish quarrel was a vital and indispensable preliminary to a larger reconstruction. ' LIBERAL LAND POLICY. (Rec. September 13, 11 p.m.) London, September 13. Mr. Churchill's speech was too Into for general criticism by tho newspapers. Mr. Churchill stated the Government's policy of land reform, and.announced that it was not one of confiscation but of alterations, justified by sober economic arguments. .