BRITISH POLITICS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1612, 2 December 1912, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS.

WEEK-END SPEECHES. LIBERAL LAND CAMPAIGN. By TeleeraDh—Press Association—Oopyriffht '• ,(Reo. Docomber 1, 5.5 p.m.) London, November 80. A number of important speeches on political topics havo been delivered during the wock-oiul. Mr. Lloyd-dwrifo, (Jlinnoollor of the Exchequer, in a h»tocIl itl Alxirdocn, said tho land who lliu root of nil Uio questions of poverty mid ixiulnl reform. Hit) <ulvico was Unit Uio present lwitl nyelom should bu burst. Our Mieiiil and economic condition wiw bound by tho fomliU Hyotom, for thoro whs ploiily of Iciml for Urn nico to develop nnil bring forth fruit u hun-dred-fold for i>m>i>lo liMHjorliig for it. This \ras t'lm hour for n (front inquisition of tho people. Scotland wiw iiifoctod with tUo pestilonco of a land famine, while thousands of acres in tho Highlands woro given over to doer and eport—acriw which had once yioldod Uio finest soldiers in tho world, Tho Chnnoollor, proceeding, vigorously defended tho Insurance Act iigainet misstatements, distortion!), and falsehoods. Ho gavo examplos of largo returns that would follow from small contributions. A coneumptivo, for instance, would receive .£2OO for 4s. Bd. in insurance premiums. Tho Act would bo going well after January, when ttw Government would havo a million and a half for women to nuree and nourish tho sick. Tho commissioners had already got jEG.OOO.OOO for medical treatment, which would boncfit 2,000,000 workmen. Tho machinery of Empire had been once directed to human elaughter, while povorty and sickness wero left to boards of g-uardians. "Once a groat emperor added lustre to his fame by visiting the wounded after battle: we havo an emperor," declared the Chancellor, "who walks about the hospitals, and visits the sick and infirm. All this is a new dignity to Empire." LORD ROBERTS CRITICISED. Mr. AVinston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, in a speech at an Eighty Club banquet, over which Lord Haldane presided, criticised Lord Roberta's recent speeches on the unpreparedness of Great Britain, and the need for national service. It was one thing, Mr. Churchill declared, to lead.troops in the field, and another to be a strategist. Lord Roberts has failed to appreciate the point that'the Navy must bo the first line of defence, and that it would be a profound blunder to forsake the Navy for compulsory service, for it would be impossible to find money for both Navy >«nd Army. Lord Haldane strongly protested against national service. He said he noticed that the Opposition were also drifting towards compulsory service. The Powers and Peaco. Mr. Churchill, referring to the war, eaid Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and France, desired peace. They only had to continue the sincere and simple policy which they had been, following, and trust one another in this time of trouble, and no Power could drive theui from this path of sanity and honour. Home Rule All Round. Turning again to Home affairs, Mr. Churchill reiterated his porsonal views in favour of federalism ■in Britain, and advocated the formation of larger and stronger units of local government than any existing, except in London, with the ; Imperial Parliament as a sdnglo assembly for the government of the United Kingdom. Tho formation of the Irish Parliament should be preliminary to a general scheme. Lord Selborno at Stroud. Lord Selborne, who was Frst Lord of the Admiralty in. the Balfour Cabinet, in speaking at Stroud, eaid he sympathised with the policy, of two one in capital ehips. It would be absolute meanness to include the Dominions' gifts in the Admiralty's regular programme.