THE CONFERENCE.

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

THE CONFERENCE.

ON HOME RULE BILL. IP GOVERNMENT BETRAY US VARIOUS VIEWS. A DEVICE TO GAIN TIME; . By Teleiirapli-Prcss Association—Copyrinht (Rec. July 21, 10.20 p.m.) i London, July 21. In tho House of Commons, Mr. Asquith, in a statement, regretted the anticipation of the nows of tho conference in the Press, as tho House ha'd first right to hear it. 'I'lio Labour Party's resolution regards tho conference as an undue interference on tho part of the Crown, and is calculated to defeat the purposes of the Parliament Act; it also expresses surprise that two representatives (Sir Edward Carson and Captain Craig) aro practically rebels under arms, and is an indication that in future tho organisation ol iorco is to bo officially considered effective in industrial as well as political disputes. A mooting of Radical members of the House of Commons is summoned for to-day to survey tho now situation. This'is regarded as the possiblo nucleus of a new "cave."' Some Ulster members of Parliament regard tho conference as the Government's device to gain time, and declare that the Government' is throwing. upon the King tho responsibility which tho Constitution requires them to bear. Tho Unionists see in the conference a second admission by Mr. Asquith that Home Rule is unworkable. The "Daily News" says tho King's intervention is bound to' create widespread disquiet, and a deep-rooted.feel-ing in tho House of Commons that tho authority of Parliament is being undermined. • ' Mr. Redmond presided over a stormy meeting of members of the Nationalist Party jn the House of Commons to protest against any further concessions being made to Ulster. Th 6 meeting gave Messrs. Redmond and Dillon plenary powers with respect to tho Palace conference. Tho Nationalists are firmly resolved not to yield ail acre or a man of Tyrone and Fermanagh.Mr. Devlin is actively engaged in the organisation /of the Nationalist volunteerA Twelve Liberals of the House of Commons have contributed a hundred pounds apiece to their funds. '; A yacht conveying threo thousand rifles for tho Nationalist VQlunteers has been seized at Londonderry.Tho leading Nationalists of Belfast approvo the leaders' refutation of the responsibility for the conference. One of Mr. Devlin's intimates was heard to declare: "If the Government betray u& to Bavo themselves the desperatest acts of tho Fenians will bo child's play to what would happen throughout Irelaud." t Tho '.'Daily Chroniclo" says tho idea of the conference originated with Mr. Asquith. The conference would have been more auspiciously launched and more unreservedly welcomed had the announcement not been anticipated by the leaders to the Unionist papors, and regrets that tho King will not preside in person over tho'Conference, also that the Labourites are not represented. STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE. A DISGRUNTLED NATIONALIST. London, July 20.. Tho Houso of Commons was crowded when tho Prime -Minister (Mr. Asquith) made an announcement regarding tho Homo ltulo question. Mr. Asquith said lio had beeu 'authorised by the King to state that in view of tho grave situation, His Majesty' thought it right to summon representatives of all tlio parties to a conference at Buckingham Palace with the object of discussing outstanding questions relating to the government of Irelaud. Tho eight representatives selectedMessrs. Asquith and Lloyd George, tho Marquis of Lansdowne, Messrs. Bonar Law, John Redmond, and John Dillon, Sir Edward Carson, and Captain Craig —had accepted the invitation. Tho Speaker would preside and tho proceedings would begin to-morrow. Mr. Bonar Law intimated that he had loyally accepted the invitation, Mr. Redmond said: "My colleagues and myself take no responsibility for the calling of this convention. Ido not think I am called oh to express an opinion as to whether tho result will be useful or the contrary. The invitations have been accepted as a- Roval command." There was some' hubbub when Mr. Ginnell (Nationalist) asked Mr. Asquith what precedent and authority lie had for advising tho. King to place himself at tho head of a conspiracy to defeat the House of Commons' decision. - Mr. Asquith did not reply to the question. CONFERENCE EXPECTED TO FAIL. ■ London, July 20. Labourites bitterly condemn the conference, and many Liberals aro very critical, fearing tho establishment of a precedent. They expect the conference to fail, that tho Amending-Bill will be withdrawn, and that an appeal to the constituencies trill bo made in October. Replviug to Lord Courtney in the House of Lords, tho Marquis of Crewe, Secretary of State, for India, affirmed that there would be no abrogation of Ministerial responsibility, and that there was no intention to supersede Parliament's authority. PROTEST BY LABOUR MEMBERS. London, July 20. The Labour members of Parliament, at a meeting in the Houso of Commons, passed a resolution protesting against the King suninioriing a conference on the Irish questiou, and requested Mr. Asquith to forward the resolution to the King. HOSTILITY NOT PREVALENT. "Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services. London, July 20. Hostility to Ulster is not very prevalent iu tho South and West of Ireland, though it is thought oxclusion would exasperate all classes. Simplo people still regard tho .preparations in Ulster with a smile. * A NOVEL PROPOSITION. COLONIAL STATESMEN TO ARBITRATE. (Rec. July 21, 8.25 p.m.) London, July 21, Sir Georgo Paisli,. joint editor of tho '•'Statist," proposes a settlement of tho Homo Rulo controversy in tho event cf tho negotiations proving abortive, to appoint two impartial arbitrators, and that the Pritno Ministers of Canada and Australia be invited to act as a miniaLure Hague tribunal to decide the particular points. He considers that Mr. Borden, Prime Minister of Canada, and Mr. Cook, Prime Minister of Australia, by reason of their great experience of autonomy, are practically qualified to look at the various questions involved, both Home Rule and Imperial. Ho points out -that- in view of .there being a large number of Irishmen, Scotchmen, and Englishmen in both Dominions there could be no race antipathies to a tribunal whose impartiality would bo trusted by Catholics and Protestants alike.