Home Rule.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 81, 27 July 1914, Page 5

Home Rule.

THE CONFERENCE FAILS. r.i' ■ AMENDING BILL ON TUESDAY. [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] [United Press Association.] London, July 24. After a meeting lasting forty minutes the conference ended. The Cabinet immediately met, and subsequently Mr Asquith stated in the House of Commons that the conference had considered the possibility of defining the area to be excluded, but had failed to agree, either as regards principles or details of such area. Replying to Sir J. H. Dalziell, Mr Asquith declined to state the exact difference of opinion between the members of the conference.

The Amending Bill will be discussed on Tuesday. As a result of the failure of the conference the Stock Exchange is depressed, an Consuls are quoted at £75. After Mi' Asquith's statement to a crowded and expectant House, Mr Bonar Law said he proposed to follow Mr Asquith's example and make no comment on the conference report. THE STUMBLING BLOCK. London, July 25. Tyrone was the stumbling block at the conference. The Nationalists refused to agree to its exclusion, and the points at issue at the end of the conference were narrow. Ulster asked the exclusion of nine counties. The Nationalists freely offered four, and both sides converged towards the exclusion of six, but the Unionists refused to accept the Nationalists conditions and limitations.

The conference virtually broke down on the first day.

THE PROVISIONAL GOVERN-

MENT.

Strict orders have been issued to the staffs of the chief electoral organisations to keep within touch. Many Radical papers express disapproval of a general election. A meeting of the Supply Board of the Provisional Government at Belfast voted 50,000 tons of provisions, sufficient to meet the wants of the people wiohin an area of twenty miles of Belfast and six weeks. The brief exists that the Provisional Government will assumo control next week.

Preparations are, being made for a blockade. "NO CIVIL WAR." Mr A. Birrell, Secretary for Ireland, speaking at Meldrum regarding the conference said that though it had been a'failure it was well worth holding. The Government will go forward with the proposals already made, which will enable everyone of the nine counties of .Ulster to vote itself out. He felt sure there would be no civil war. Lord Haldane, addressing the City Liberal Club, said the conference failed with regard to details, not principles. The Liberal party realised the gravity of the situation, but by their principles they must stand or fall. "THE FLAMING SWORD." Earl Beauchamp said he regretted the failure of the conference. It seemed unthinkable that a solution had not been found yet, and it seemed that those who for months and years had been preaching civil war, and whose tongues were flaming swords, were not the men to deal with the situation. Mr Redmond has summoned a meeting of the Irish party at the House of Commons on Monday. FROM THE PRESS. The Times, in a leader, after traversing the negotiations, says: "The grim fact remains that the collapse of the conference leaves the country and the Empire f.ace to face with the greatest danger known in the memory of living man. The British Empire numbers four hundred millions of people, and the whole of this vast and delicate structure is to be imperilled —and for what reason? Because MiRedmond wants to get control of two counties in the North of Ireland, with a population of 200,000. The whole Empire is to be stricken to its foundations because of this." . (Received 8.45 a.m.) London, July 26. General Paget, commander of the troops in Ireland, visited the King. The police of Birmingham seized forty thousand rounds, of ammunition destined for Ireland.