The Dominion. TUESDAY, JULY 21, 1914. POLITICAL TURMOIL

An extraordinary state of political excitement pervades nearly the whole British Empire at the present time. lii Britain the Home Kitle crisis, and -the constitutional problems connected with it have overshadowed all other public questions, and-have created a very grave, and difficult situation, the ultimate outcome of which it' is quite impossible to forecast with any degree of certainty. Great" changos have already been made, and others have yet to be considered by Parliament. Tho Government's proposals for the reconstitution , of' the- Second Chamber ought soon to be placed before the country, and it has been stated over and over again that the Home' Hide scheme is only the first instalment of a system of federal Government for the other parts, of the United King' dom. _ Canada is also faced with , a constitutional problem. It has arisen out of a cpnflict between' tho two Houses of Parliament on the Navy question, and tho Ministry has announced its intention to take steps to reform the Upper ■ House; For some time past South African politics have been in an unsettled state. There has . been a regrouping ■ of parties, and the recent labour upheaval has given another new turn to the political battle. In New Zealand wo have our own constitutional reform of tho Legislative Council; and, quite apart from this question, tho coming general election will-probably bo one of tho most momentous in the history of the Dominion. Tho political turmoil in Australia is just now extremely acute.- ■ New South Wales has recently been the scene of a very bitter election campaign, while in Tasmania a change of Government took place a few months ago, and-, tho new _ Ministry is precariously maintaining its'position with only-a majority of one in its favour. After a long and desperate struggle in tho Federal Parliament, the Gover-nor-General, acting on" the advice of his Ministers, dissolved both Chambers. A deadlock which had arisen between the' House and the Sgmito" had paralysed the- whole legislative machinery, and a double djssolution seemed to be the most effective way of restoring normal conditions of Government. The Commonwealth is now in the midst of an oxtromtjly keen election _ campaign, in which, the two parties eccm very evenly matched, and both profess to be confident of victory. The prpsont crisis in Australian Federal politics was brought about by the action of the Senate in blocking the, legislation of the Government. The Liberals had a narrow majority in tho Ho'uso of Representatives, whereas the Labour Party completely dominated the Senate. Even if the Liberals can m;ui-|tain or incrcaso thojr strength in the House they will not be ' in a much better position than they are s.t present, unlosii thiiy can secure a majority in , the other Chamber. In these circum-

Stances it is plain that the fight for tho Senate is just as important as the struggle for supremacy in the House of .Representatives. The Senate is not elected on a population basis, but each State is represented by six members, giving a, total of thirty-six. In order that the Liberals may be in a position to conduct the businossof the country with reasonable efficiency they would require to secure about 20 of these seats. This is certain to prove a. very big task, for the > Labour Party arc well organised, and are just as well aware of the importance of this phase of the campaign as their opponents. Tliero can bo no doubt that the idea of the framers of the constitution was that the principal duty of the Senate would be to look 'after State rights and interests, though, of course, it vvas also expected to perform the ordinary work of a revising Chamber, it has, however, during recent years thrown' -itself whole-heartedly into tho strife of parties, and the Labour majority which retained possession of the Senate after the fall, of Me. Fisher's Labour Ministry, has fought the Government with\ as much determination and more success than the Opposition, in the House of Representatives. The intolerable situation thus established led up to the double dissolution, and it now remains to be seen whether the coming elections will bring about a. more satisfactory position as regards the ' numerical strength of the two parlies. With one party in control of s the House and the other dominating the Senate, it is impossible for any Government to conduct, business in a normal way.. The electors will now have, the opportunity of deciding definitely whether; the Liberals or the Labour Party shall take charge of tho country's affairs by giving either of them a majority in both Chambers; but it is quite possible that after the election,is over tho dead-, lock may still continue.