HOME RULE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 629, 20 December 1913, Page 5

HOME RULE.

LEADERS CONFERRING

THE RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCE. London, Thursday. Acceding to a request by 552 of the Anglican clergy, the Bishop of London has formulated a prayer to be used on the last Sunday of the year for a peaceful settlement of the Irish question.

The Daily Chronicle isaya that Mr Asquith nas placed himself in communication with Lord Lansdowne and Mr Bonar Law, the Unionist leaders. A preliminary survey of the ground for a free and informal exchange of views on Home Rule has commenced. Mr J. R. Boscawen was originally invited to distribute the prizes to the Territorials at Dudley, but the officer in command of the Worcestershire Territorials cancelled the en gagement owing to a speech by Mr Bo3cawen, in which he said he would resign his commission in the Oxfordshire Light Infantry and offer his services to the Ulster Government if Mr Asquith sent troops to shoot down Ulsterroen before a general election. Lord Willougbby de Broke, in a speech in London yesterday, declared he would not be a party to approaching the army in connection with Ulster's resistance, but the Government must recollect that the army was only human. Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary, in a speech at Alnwick last night, said he was not anxious for a formal conference between the party leaders till it was clear the Opposition was disposed to settle Home Rule. The Government had opened the door, but the Opposition was still walking outside, and occasionally shouting through the window. The religious difference was the real problem in Ulster. That would not affect the management of the Customs. If Ulster was afraid of the Roman Catholic spirit, it would be easy by means of a Grand Committee of Ulster members to put education entirely in their hands. Scuh a charge was consistent with the conditions Mr Asquith had laid down in his Ladybank speech. There were signs that trade was on the turn, but fre6 trade Britain would feel the decline alter than protectionist countries.