LONDON CHAT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14159, 27 September 1911, Page 3

LONDON CHAT.

(FROM OCE OWN CORRESPONDS* -1^ LONDON, August 18. Mr Walter Long, who is ono at the strongest Unionists both in olhee * out. has made a statement redraw,, the leadership of Mr Balfour which » almost tho first frank and friendly criticism which has come from witnm tho party. From timo to tiue m ln « j life of evenr party, ho sa-id, tho rank and file found their leaders not ready enough and keen enough for the battle. That happened with both Disraeli and Gladstone. Personally, he did not think any one individual was essential to the existence ot a party, but lie bud had the privilege of -working in close communication with Mr Balfour and Lord Lansdowne, and he could safely bay that two men of higher instincts, of greater capacity, or greater energy, or of truer loyalty, could not possibly be found. ''Why should we, as Unionists, try to drive men of that sort out of the public tiold ? I also know that in my leader, Mr Balfour, there are faults to be found; but we must be led by mortal man, and every mortal is liable to make mistakes and has bis failings. I do not deny that in some matters he sometimes causes us anxiety. 1 wish ho realised more completely tho business needs connected with the management of the party; but because 1 recogniso this and sp-'ak of it, is it any reason why I should falter in my j loyalty to a man who I believe can lead j us better and more securely and to our j interest than any other man I kuow of | alive at the present moment? If he will go steadfastly along on our path of Unionism and give us a clear, brave, and determined lead, wo will follow him and help him to win tho victory which cannot be very long delayed." j THE \OUTH OF THE KING. Another personal matter which hss been much canvassed until the strikes removed the centre of gravity from Westminster to Tower Hill was referred to by Lord Carrington at an obscure and unnoticed meeting. Talking about the Veto Bill—which, by tho way, most people havo forgotten—he i>aid: —"Wo havo been blamed, and unfairly blamed, for having taken advantage of a young and inexperienced King, and of having kept other counsellors from him. Wo. the Liberal Cabinet, weio severally and wholly and jointly responsible for that advice. 1 say to tnoj-e who blame us, blame us it you will, blame our policy, but do not contend that a constitutional Sovereign, who for ten years had caraful training umi.-r King* Edward the Peacemaker, who has twice visited every important part of his Imperial Dominions, once in company with his Queen, .who is forty-six years of ago —the exact ago at which Napoleon and Wellington fought again3t each other at Waterloo—is too young or too inexperienced to face a, national crisis when it comes." Mr Asquith, by tho way, is by no means in good health at present. On the close of tho political struggle he escrped hurriedly into the count yy, to endeavour to recover by rest his lost voice, and he intervened in tho industrial war, as the "Telegraph" says, "at a moment when it was perfectly apj rrent his physical powers were taxed to breaking-point. As he filtered the office of the Board of Trad-} there was pathetic evidence, in pallid face and tired demeanour, of the strain to which his health has been submitted by tho burdens of State responsibility." THE LONELY FURROW. .So that it may be inscribed in tho journals of the House of Lords, for which there is statutory provision,' Lord Rosebery has taken, the unusual course of entering his formal protest against the Parliament Bill, ana several other peers have affixed their names to his statement. The entry is under date "'Die Jovis, 10th Augusti, 1911/' and the reasons given, undor ten beads, aro those -which Lord Rosebery so ably stated from his lonely furrow before going into tho lobby with tho Government. It will bo an interesting feature of a rather prosy chronicle. HOME RULE CAMPAIGN. The Liberal Party will conduct an educational campaign in tho autumn on bohalf of Home Rule. Mr Winston Churchill will bo chairman of the new organisation, Mr R. Harcourt hon. secretary, Mr Donald Maclean hon. treasurer, and Mr W T allaco Carter, of the Free Trade Union, will be the organising secretary. An active propaganda will be undertaken, and Mi Harcourt -will have behind him the full backing of the Liberal headquarters and of the Ulster Liberal Association. Th< Eighty Club is also taking up the Home Rule question seriously, and next month several members of the clul will make a tour of Ireland. The Unionists also promise an autumn campaign against Home Rule. CHURCH AN3> CIVIL LAW. Although the civil law of England has permitted marriage with a deceased wife's sister, yet tho Church, apparently, has not followed suit. Mi D. H. Lupton purchased a Prayer 800 l commemoration of the Coronation, anc says he was amazed to find in the Tabh of Affinity that such marriages aro stil forbidden. He states: —"Thousands oi of these Prayer Books have doubtless been bought by our colonial visitors I wonder what they will think of om methods which tolerate such action oi the part of his Majesty's printers. 1 am told tho firm receive the subject matter for the Prayer Books from th< Church authorities. If this bo the cas< so much the worse for a Church whicl continues to thus persecute a sectioi of his Majesty's subjects by putting forward a statement in the Table o Affinity which fails to recogniso tb< amendment of the law of the realm Bops Parliament intend to allow thi Church of England to arrogate to her self a law at variance with the law o the State? RUGBY UNION BOARD. Tho oversea unions havo been givei two delegates on tho new law sub-coin mittoe of the Rugby Union Inter national Board. South Africa has on delegate, while Mr Wray Palliser re presents not only New Zealard but als Queensland and New South Wak'S Rugby footballers from tho Antipodo do not think they have been generous]; treated on the question. When the In temational Board decided to give th outlying portions of the Empire som voice in the government of the laws o Rugby football, it seems a pity tha the various oversea unions were no placed on an equal footing.