The Dominion. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1914. THE KING'S SPEECH.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1982, 12 February 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1914. THE KING'S SPEECH.

• Great questions ai'o to be dealt with during the session of the British Parliament, which was opened by the King on Tuesday, and the proceedings cannot fail to bo of-in-tense interest to the whole Empire. Political feeling is ■running very high, and the prevailing excitement may result in some bitter - clashes between the opposing parties. The Government is laced by difficulties or) every side, and the position of Mi.. Asquith and his Ministerial colleagues is certainly not an enviable one. First and forcinott is tho Home Rule problem. The Opposition batteries will be mainly directed against the proposals for the futiiio government of Ireland; but the Speech from the Throne also discloses several' other lines of 'policy concerning which there is sure to be very strong differences of opinion. The scheme for the rcconstitution of tho Second Chamber will be awaited with keen interest. Now that tKo House of Lords has been shoi'n of &-., much of its ancient \power and dig- ■ hity, it is recognised on both sides that some process of constructive reform is absolutely necessary. A number of suggestions has boon put forward. from various quarters, but the exact nature of the Government's' ■ plan has not yet been made public. It is generally understood,, however, that the influence of the hereditary, element is bound to be greatly reduced, and that the Chamber will be re-cstablishcd_ mainly on a basis of a more widely representative character.. • /Another important matter mei.tioned in the Speech is tho intention of'the'.Government to deal with tin. education question. • For some time past Ministers and other responsible persons have been calling attention to the need for extensive reforms, and'LonD Haldanb has outlined a comprehensive scheme for reorganising the.whole education system from tho'primary school to the University. The President of the Board of Education (Mr, J. A. Pease) stated, in the House of Commons in July last that the Government intended to place before Parliament a large and expensive policy. It is proposed that tns municipal basis of the system shall remain unchanged, and that the recognition of the voluntary schools shall,be continued. An obligation is to benmposcd on local authorities to provide intermediate education for all who desire it, and provision is to be made for co-ordination in this matter, between authorities to prevent overlapping and waste. A new method of allocating grants will also be brought forward. The thorny problem of religious instruction will have to be faced, and the controversy on this aspect of the question has already been revived. Lord Haldake seems very hopeful ot reconciling tho various points of view, but some of his utterances have caused a considerable amount of uneasiness amonfi the Nonconformists, who seem to think that the Government is inclined to concede too much to the Church schools. The Speech also foreshadows legislation dealing with Imperial naturaliw tiqn, and with the industrial, housing, and agricultural questions, all of which will provide Opportunities for keen discussion. It will bo seen from the above that an extensive programme has been prepared for the session, but the Home Rule Bill overshadows everything else, and the Opposition intends to do all in its-power tb force a dissolution before it- becomes law.' : The Speech from the Throne admits that the efforts to bring about ft settlement by consent' have failed, though the hope is expressed that, in view of the possibility of grave future difficulties, all parties and creeds will co-operate to secure a lasting agreement. But- something more definite and tangible {ban the impressive reiteration of the obvious is necessary if the danger of-civil war in Ireland is to be averted. Practicable proposals which would do something to meet the demands of' Ulster would be more to the point, and Mn. Asquith's announcement that the Government will "without delay submit to the House suggestions which would be honestly put forward." is too vague to provide any real ground for hope. FulUr .particulars of his peace proposals!

however, will be awaited with eagerness, for the time for compromise will soon have gone by, Mcanwhilu public attention has been arrested by the appearance on the scene oi Sir Horace Pi.jjxkett, who has' gained the confidence.of men of all political and religious creeds by his .splendid work for the betterment oi the Irish people. He now comes forward with the suggestion that Protestant Ulster should accept the Home Utile Bill on condition that a plebiscite shall doeide at the end of a fixed period whether Ulster shall continue to he subject to the Irish Parliament. Whether this solution has the approval of Su: Edward Carson and his colleagues is not expressly stated, but the assertion that the suggestion has been put forward "after confidential interviews with the Ulster leaders"- is certainly significant. Would such a proposal be acceptable to trie Ni,<tionahsts ?' This remains, to b« seen, but it is now clear that' Mi>. Redmond's "full-speed ahead 1 '" policy would result in a catastrophe, and MB. Asquith 'himself' admits that some modifications must be made in the Government's scheme. He «x----pfcssly states that "there is nothing that the- Government will . not do. consistent with .the fundamental principles of the Bill, to avoid civil war," and it is to be hoped that the proposals he intends to submit' to the House will be sufficiently generous to form the basis of a satisfactory settlement. It is almost inconceivable that responsible British statesmen will allow the North''''of;." Ireland to be converted into a battlefield. ' ■' .