THE EVE OF BATTLE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13906, 3 December 1910, Page 8

THE EVE OF BATTLE.

The. first shots in the battle of the British elections arc to be fired to-day, and the sound will travel round the Empire, if not round the world. "What distinguishes this struggle, at any rate from those of the last twenty years, is

tho fact that whichever way the fight ! goes, momentous changes will be made. If the Liberals come back to power, the House of Lords -will be shorn of its veto power, and, if the Liberals hold office long enough, will probably be replaced by an elective Chamber. Tno icinoval of the power of "veto would open the d<;or to many jrreat changes, including Home Rule, and probably +he development of a Federal scheme of government for all the parts of tiic Kingdom. On tho other hand, if the Unionists win. the House of 1/ords ivill 1-e reformed, and the referendum will bo introduced. Under the circumstances, this would almost certainly mean the adoption of some scheme of tariff reform. Great Britain is like a man standing at tho junction of two roads, knowing that whichever way he takes will lead him into unexplored country. It i« always dangerous to prophesy at such times, and we will not go further than to say that the Opposition's chance of turning out the Govcrnmrnt docs not seem very bright. Mr Balfour has a substantial coalition majority to wipe out. and there have been no indications of the Unionist landslide that is necessary if he is to return victorious. The abolition of the veto is an effective, clearcut issue to take to the country, and while Liberals are inclined to exaggerate th«» antagonism to tho Peers, there is no doubt that that feeling is strong and widespread. Mr Asquith's appeal solidifies the Irish vote, the Welsh vote, and the English Nonconformist vote, because it is known that tho abolition of the veto will mean Homo Rule, Welsh disestablishment, and the repeal of the Education Act. On the other hand, Mr Balfour and Lord Lansdowne have rallied the moderates to their standard by their proposals to reform the Constitution, and, almost at the eleventh hour, Mr Balfour has made a bold bid for victory by expressing his willingness to refer tariff reform to a referendum. We cannot see how this is to be done satisfactorily—for at best the referendum is applicable to simple issues only—but there isnodorbb as to the stir this move is causing in the campaign. It has secured tho vote of every Unionist free trader, and probably tho votes of a good many Liberals who waver between their adherence to free trado and their distrust of tho policy of the Radical wing. These and the moderate section of the public are the undeterminable factors in the situation. They may turn the balance in Mr Balfour's favour, but we are inclined to think the polling will leave the parties pretty much as they aro now, with the Liberals dependent upon the support of the Irish members.