The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1910. THE CONFERENCE FAILS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 269, 12 November 1910, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1910. THE CONFERENCE FAILS.

Tar the coma* that lochs aasittamoe. For the wrong that needs retistanoa, Par- the future in the- Hatuaaa, Ami the good that vte aaa da.

When the Liberal leaders at Home first decided to accept the suggestion of the Unionists for a conference on the political situation, it -was hardly anticipated that any practical result ■would be achieved. The differences of .opinion .between, the two parties were so strongly marked, and the questions at issue were so yitally important to the whole nation that it was felt from the first that a compromise was barely within the bounds of probability. So clearly was this seen that -we may well doubt if any contingency less tragic and momentous than the death of King Edward VII. would have induced Mr. Asquith and . his colleagues to give way. But in the awe-stricken hush that followed, when a "truce of God" ■was proclaimed between the rival parties, the possibility of a compromise seemed .for the moment to have come within the range of practical politics. And so 'the "Veto. Cqnference has been convoked, and it .has- carried on its work under the most favourable conditions that could be expected, in the circumstances. The pledge of secrecy has been honourably kept, and tihe outside public, in the absence of definito knowledge about its deliberations, have been reduced to conjectures of widely-diversified character- that can have had little bearing or influence upon the work in hand. We have waited ao long for authoritative news that we have 'begun to hope that our apprehensions might be disappointed, and that the Conference might actually bring .to bath. liberals, and Unionists "Peace 'with, Honour." But now, at last, conjeotuTe mpy cease; for Mr. Asquith has formally announced that the Conference has fuHed.

It seems that, we are not likely to [get any- detailed account of the discussions or the arguments employed on either side. Biit this is just as for the whole case has been restated so Often and. so fully tjiat it hardly neede elaboration now. Stripped of all superfluous accessories, the question at issue really was—shall the Lords or the Commons direct and control ifche legislature? To this question, the liberals can give only- one answer consistent with the democratic principles on -which their declared policy ia based; and their opponents need hope for no "compromise" that would sacrifice the fundamental theory of constitutional government. In the last jes.ort, the Will of the People must, prevail; and the precise ■way in which the Upper House shall be compelled to adjust itself to this indispensable requirement is, after all. a matter of subsidiary importanfe. If the Unionists kyi been prepared *p accept t<h.is principle, no doubt .some means could have been fpiind to maintain,, the Upper House in a position ■of power and dignity not ujrworthy of its antecedents. But unlesi»} and until ■this principle is accepted— waless the Unionists arc prepared t» admit that tb,e representatives elected by the people must have the final word in legislative and administrative matters, no peace or fruce is possible between the contending parties. All' this is realised, clearly enough at Home; and *he "Open War" challenge issued by the "Daily Chronicle" is a significant indication of the state of public feeling just now. A prompt dissolution and another election, probably, within a morrtih'3 time, seem likely to follow as a matter of course. But whatever lies before the country in the immediate future there can bo no doubt that 'the struggle between the Lords

and the Commons, stopped for the moment iby unforeseen contingencies, must now be renewed, and that it -will be fought desperately to the bitter end.