BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 39, 29 January 1912, Page 5

BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

A SPEECH BY THE LEADER OF THE UNIONISTS. “WILD MEN WHO CONTROL THE RADICAL PARTY.” FAILURE AND INCOMPETENCE. ..By Electric Telegraph---Copj light.) Press Association.J London, January 27. Mr Bonar Law, leader of the Unionist Party, addressed a packed and enthusiastic meeting in the Albert Hall. He said the Government could not keep going at the present puce. The result .would be either destruction of the Government or the ruin of the country. The Cabinet played Faust to Mr Redmond’s Mephistopheles, and now called upon him to redeem his 'bond; Disestablishment was an act of destructive violence. It appeared the Unionist freetrader must choosebetween tariff reform and LloydGeorgism. The country had had enough of the present Government. The lane had beon long, but the turning was visible. • ‘ • Failure and incompetence, said Mr Bonar Law, marked every step of tile wild men who control the Radical Party. The people trusted Sir H. Camp-bell-Bannerman, but they did not trust the present Premier, who was being driven, without resistance, faster down, the slope. There was never a whisper of competent criticism on the Government benches. Critics werepromptly collared and made peers or knights or front henchmen. Wales had thirty members, and eighteen had been honoured with gifts ranging from a peerage to,a job. The Labour Party had lost its influence because it was in the Government's' pocket.

On the other side, continued Mr Law, the Government had sold the constitution, and found themselves in the Nationalists’ pocket. ■ There lin'd boeri tremendous transformations:without any explanation. Before Christmas Mr Winston Churchill had had enough of Stepney scenes, and gentle shepherds, and had gone to the Admiralty. Mr McKenna had had enough of Archer Shoe and Lord Charles Boresford. Both • desired 'to begin a new 'leaf. L

Lord Haldane’s method of strengthening the regulars, said 'the spotter, was by a reduction of 20,000 men; Ho had similarly, reduced the-,'auxiliaries by 30,000. All the troops'were' artned with weapons inferior tkosei-of other nations. I ,,■, ■■ ? v rJp'J

While .not joining the senselessattack on Sir Edward Grey by his'iown press, it was a fact, said the leader of the Unionists, that the ■ Mdl'hcoO incident ended-, in .the advantage ipf France, while we got all the" ill-will. We drifted to the verge of w'dr'jfecauso responsible 1 ; minister's, 'led for ± sign nations ment would never assert its rights by force. '■ ; •'

Mr Lloyd-George’s Mansion House speech, continued the speaker, saved us from war but it accentuated Germany’s ill-will. It will require*-a generation of sane statesmen to live it down. 1 ■ The Radicals had increased the national. expenditure to the ‘ extent, of £10,000,000. Much of it was' spent upon 4 . swarm of new officials, numbering nearly six thousand, half of whom were appointed without.competition. Revolutionary governments were, always corrupt governments. Capitiil wa§ leaving the country to an extent unknown in previous history. There seemed no bottom to the drop n consols. The Government had hitherto been preparing machinery for its destruction, which would come, into operation next session. The Premier told them woman’s* suffrage ivould he a national disaster, yet expressed his willingness to perpetrate that disaster. He asked, “Has ever British statesman fallen so low?” He believed the Government was already in difficulties over a constructive Bill acceptable to Ireland and possibly to England. “What humbugs these people are!” said Mr Law. “They employ trickery and methods of the artful dodger. Their methods Inst session were a disgrace to the Government and a degradation to the House of Commons.”