The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1914. THE KING'S CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2208, 22 July 1914, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1914. THE KING'S CONFERENCE

The action of tho King, in summoning a Conference of representatives of the four principal parties concerned in the Home Rule controversy is an impressive indication of the extreme gravity of the situation' in which this protracted political struggle has culminated. Even if the Conference may not result in a settlement by mutual consent' of tho points in dispute, tho practical wisdom of the step which His Majesty has thought fit' to take is obvious.l A friendly discussion round a table has been suggested over and: over again, bub there lias always been some doubt as to who should take the initiative in bringing the partits together. Tho consequence has been that the wild war of words has gone on without a break. Occasionally a spirit of conciliation has been in the.air. No ono, however, having the confidence of all parties has liitherto seized upon the right moment in the right in order to give tho desiro for peace an opportunity of expressing itself in a tangible and effective manner, by enabling tho chief points" in dispute to bo calmly considered under conditions that would minimise the tendency to supplement argument by appeals to political passion and prejudice. As a matter, of fact, the whole nation has become embroiled in the struggle for and against Home Rule, and it would probably be hard to find a leading public man who has not taken a more or less active part in the controversy. Proposals for a Conference coming from a partisan quarter would naturally be-viewed with suspicion. Such' overtures would no doubt be looked upon merely as a new phase in the strategy of the campaign intended to load opponents into some political trap. But, as tho London Times points. out. the intervention

of'a superior, independent, and impartial authority was needed, and no one but the Sovereign can play that part. AVo are told-that in view of tho gravity'of the. situation, His Majesty thought 'it right that the representatives , of all the parties should be brought together, and his invitation to the. party leaders was given on the advice of his Ministers. Further than this His Majesty has not deemed it expedient to go. He will not even preside at the Conference, that duty having been placed on the Speaker. _ Due regard has evidently been paid to the constitutional position, and it is stated that precedents for the King's action, aro to b'o found in <the intervention of Queen Victoria and King Edward in former political crises.. • At several stages in tho Home Bnle campaign some of the combatants have suggested that His Majesty should bo brought into the fray, but the responsible leaders of the various parties havo -always done their utmost to keep the King's name out of the controversy. .It has been urged that the Eoyal veto should be brought into operation in order to prevent tho Home Rule Bill from becoming law, and it has also been 'argued that the King should dissolve ' Parliament, so that the electors might have an- opportunity of giving expression to their will before a change of such fundamental importance is made in the Constitution. Some people hold that the alteration in ihe Constitution made by tho Parliament Act lias an important bearing on the functions of tho Crown. Under the old system, measures had to .be passed both by the Lords and Commons before receiving the Royal'Assent,-but now it is possible that legislation may be enacted by the House of Commons in defiance of the opposition of the other branch of the Legislature. This is a consequence of the existing temporary arrangement pending the rcconstitution of the Second Chamber. Tho machine is' just now out of gear. In -a recent address, Mr. D. Mac Master, K.C., M.P., contended that in' these circumstances the King was not bound by the old precedent with regard to tho veto but might refer the question in controversy to the supreme masters of the Legislature—the people themselves. There is certainly a good deal to bo said in favour of this point but such arguments aro outweighed by .the 'danger of tho' Sovereign becoming embroiled in party ' politics. Tho leaders of public opinion in Britain have therefore 1 steadily 'set their faces against all attempts to change the course of events by any extraordinary use of the Royal prerogative. When it was rumoured in, March last that the" King was insisting upon a dissolution, the Times remarked that "it cannot bo emphasised too _ strongly that tho predom-inant-feeling on both:sides of the House is strongly, adverse 'to any association of the' Royal .namp with the .oritical stago through which national politics are now In the present instance, 1 howevor, His Majesty's action; oaiinot by any stretch of imagination be regarded as an interference in. party polities. The Monarchy 'is the centro of national unity, and the "King, occupying a unique, position':outside- and above the party arena, .-has stepped forwardvat' a moment when- impartial intervention'is specially needed. His solo purpose is to give the political leaders an opportunity to reason .the matter out in a spirit, of conciliation and forbearance,* in the hope of averting a national disaster. In summoning tho ,Conference, His .Majesty has certainly given practical expression to the wishes of the great majority his pooplo in all parts of the British Enipiro.