The Dominion MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1913. THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK IN BRITAIN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1771, 9 June 1913, Page 4

The Dominion MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1913. THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK IN BRITAIN.

4 A crisis appears to be approaching in British politics. In another column we publish cablegrams which state that the latest developments regarding the Marconi transactions have produced consternation among tho Irish Nationalists, _ who, it is stated, privately admit that the character and stability of the Government has received a serious blow. As a consequence of this the prospects of Home llulo aro naturally becoming more uncertain. The revelations are also making the Liberals uneasy ancl resentful, and the Unionists are preparing for a general election, which they do not think can be long delayed. The outlook for the Liberals certainly does not appear to be very bright at tho present moment. They have had significant defeats at recent byelcctions, some of the evidence given regarding the Marconi transactions has madoa most unfavourable impression in tho country; Ulster is actually arming with the object of resisting Home Rule; the Anglican Church is another srroat campaign against. Welsh Disestablishment; and the unpopularity of the Insurance. Act is helping to swell the rising tide of hostility to the Government and its policy. ; Tho Nationalists are, of course, anxious to escape another appeal to the country before the Home Rule Bill has become law, as no .one can tell how far public opinion may have changed _on this and other matters. The crisis may bo averted, at lejist for a time; but tho Liberal party is undoubtedly passing through a very unhappy period, and the cumulative effect of recent unpleasant happenings may soon s makc another general election quite unavoidable. The Home Rule Bill is, of course, tho greatest of the disturbing factors. To-day Mr. Asquitii is to move, its second reading in the House of Commons, and there arc already indications of a stormy debate. The Prime Minister's _ statement that'a division on the Bill will be taken to-morrow, and that the second reading of tho Finance Bill has been fixed for Wednesday, has evoked a sharp protest from the Leader of the Opposition, who declares that tho action of the Government in this matter is "contemptuous." To confine the secondreading debate of a measure of such tremendous importance as the Homo Rule Bill to two days does seem a drastic procedure, notwithstanding the fact that it was discussed and passed by the House of Commons last year, and comes up again in accordant with the following clause of the Parliament Act of 1911: — If any public Bill (other than a Money ; Bill or a Bill containing any provision to extend tho maximum duration of Parliament beyond five years) is passed by the I House of Commons in three successive < sessions (whether of the same Parliament . or not), and, having been sent up to the 1 House of Lords at least one month before the end of the session, is rejected by tho t House of Lords in cacli of those sessions, that BilL shall, on its rejection for the third time by tho House of Lords, unless I tlio House of Commons direct to tho contrary, be presented to his Majesty and become an Act of Parliament on tho Royal Assent being- signified thereto, notwitli- • standing that tho House of Lords havo not consented to tho Bill: Provided that this i provision" slinll not liavo effect unless u\o voarsliave elapsed between tho date of the second reading in the first of thoso sessions oi' tho Bill in tho House of Corninoii3, and tho date 011 which it passes the House of Commons in tho third of those sessions.

Either reasonable time should bo given for the discussion of the Bill or it should be submitted to the vote without any debate at all. The period of delay provided for in the Parliament Act indicates an intention to give an opportunity for the expression of any alteration of feeling in the House or the country on a Bill before it is finally passed without the consent of the House of Lords, but this_ cannot be done unless adequate time is given for the reconsideration of the Bill a whole.- Mr. Bonau Law was fully justified in referring to the attempt to limit the second-reacling debate on the Homo Rule Bill as "contemptuous" treatment. Step by step with tho progress of the Bill through Parliament the spirit of resistance in Ulster _ becomes more, and more manifest. Ministers at first endeavoured to make light of the movement, but they are now beginning to recogniso that the granting of Home Rule may be followed by very serious trouble, if not actual bloodshed. A cablegram which appeared in Saturday's Dominion stated that drilling is proceeding unceasingly throughout the Unionist counties in Ulster —ambulance and nursing services have been organised, and thousands of efficient magazine rifles have been imported. These are extremely disquieting facts, and they cannot bo ignored. It is almost unthinkable that any British Government could send an armed force to Ireland in j order to shoot down Ulstermen because they object to the dismemberment of the United Kingdom. To force them out of the Union at tho point of tho bayonet would be one of the most amazing episodes of modem history. In order to avoid such a possibility it has been urged that Ulster should not come within the jurisdiction of tho Irish Parliament, but the Nationalists declare that they would rather not have Home Rule at all if it did not include the whole of Ireland. Mr. William Moore, M.P., speaking recently at a demonstration of Unionists of Armagh North, declared that their irreducible minimum of compromise was "Hands off Ulster." Mn. Moonn went on to say that the change, made in the Constitution by the Parliament- Act would greatly increase the responsibility of. the Crown in giving its assent to legislation. He contended that the Sovereign henceforth could not be merely a ratifying authority of a majority in one House. In view of the fact that more than half of Great Britain was opposed to the Home Rule Bill, and that Ulster was armed to tho teeth and determined

never to submit, his Majesty would probably feel it bis duty to see that the people of the country bad an j opportunity to decide the issue before civil war was thrust upon them. This is no doubt the point of view of a strong partisan; but, after milking due allowance for that, the fact remains that the last general election was fought out on a variety of issues besides Homo Utile and the return of the AsQUiTir. Government, to power cannot therefore be regarded as equivalent to a definite pronouncement of the people of the United Kingdom in favour of the policy of dismemberment contained in the Government of Ireland Bill. Indeed, the Asquitii Government kept the Home Rule issue, in the background as far as possible during the last elections.