ALL PARTIES BESET.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 747, 21 February 1910, Page 5

ALL PARTIES BESET.

BALANCED POWER.

PREPARED NEITHER TO RULE NOR

TO DISSOLVE,

MORE ABOUT THE "SAFEGUARDS.''

By TelegraoU—Preas Association— Oouyrlaht (Rec. February 20, 5 p.m.) ,

London, February 19. The "Daily Chronicle" (Liberal) ob-' serves;—"Tho dominating feature of the situation is that nobody wants a dissolution., v;

' "If - Mr.' Balfour defeats the . Government, he must introduce a Budget and immediately . dissblye. If Mr.- ;.Redmond , forces \ defeat. and a' general election, he will-lose .seats to the O'Brionites. If . the Labourites 'join Mr: , Redmond, they will; not improve ; their ■ position, ;in the country." ...'." The "Chronicle" believes that everybody will prove more reasonable 1 next week than now appears. Unionist Ministry Would Be Still More Embarrassed. ..- .) : The Attorney-General, Sir Wm. Robson, in ; a speech at Newcastle, replying to the criticism that the Government is, in a cleft' stick,. asked - which party was.: not in . a cleft, stick, He proceeded to discuss Mr.: Balfour's ' difficulties' if the: Governliient resigned and Mr.! Balfour wero summoned to take office, -. In that case, he contended, the Opposition would'be in a much: more embarrassing .position than'; tho Government. " ! '- ; PRIME MINISTER AND KING. . LABOUR MANIFESTO. 1 ■ ■ ■ London, February 18. ,- There is : much; commeint - on; the manifesto issued by :the Chairman of tho Labour party, Mr. G. N. Barnes. in which' Mr. Barnes states-"Despite the utter-'. l; ances in his Albert Hall speech, Mr. Asquith is prepared to hold office without assurances, from the King regarding the House of -Lords'' veto,: which, moreover, I will be dealt: with. only after ; the, Budget ha's been dealt witli. I know that course . mil not; be .acceptable ..to -the: Labour party," etc. .- -.■ ''V

; -Mr.'; Barnes's ■ statement is, more note : worthy after: a. declaration": by, Mr. .Keir Hardie. that the. Labour party would support tho Government whatever course it would take in- connection; with the Budget and.the veto. : , -V; : Trio Crown and the "Safeguards." Tho "Daily Chronicle" (Liberal) contends,; that Ministers .'cannot', constitutionally. give the. King ;the advice -whioh Mr. Barnes suggests. . : ;The ."Morning Leader" ■ declares"lt is now .'clear, that iltr. ..Asquith cannot re-, main in office unless ho tells tho; .King plainly , that the 'wholes of liis coraposito party.:'require the: veto as! the -immediate issue. , - The ' .nßw . crisis is - due ;■ to • a statomerit' circulated in the, lobbies that Mr. fAsquitli; intended; to explain to • tho House of Commons on Monday that the •word 'safeguards' in* his Albert Hall speech" referred solely ,to : 'legislation." 1 ~ ■ The;.' "Slanchester:' Guardian" sajs:. "Unless the, difficultyis removed; the Government will bo'"'forceii''to" choose between resignation ; and retaining office the basis of- Unionist support.' This would;not be lessicalamitous ,than .direct defeat, .. :The .:Liberal 'elections.' in the •North of England were fought upon- Mr. Asquith's Albert Hall declaration."

Liberals May Appeal to Unionists. The; "Globe" ; . says, Mr.-vAsqiiith ..may surrender to the party of revolution,; or on.- the othei hand may appeal to the patriotism .of the Unionists; to' .extricate him... ; ; - ."The .Freeman's Journal"-.says there is every, 'probability. of a' general election in six weeks or two months. ~ ;, It is reported that Messrs. , O'Brien and ;-Healy,;,i Independent Nationalists, will. insist; on dividing .tho House of Com,mons.? upon'' every" item in - tho Budget touching Ireland and increased taxation. REFUSAL OF SUPPLIES, r TILL KING : FORCES THE LORDS TO SUICIDE. ■ . "THE. TIMES";' AND MR,. KEIR - HARDIE. (Rec.' February 20, 5 p.m.) • London, February 19. • Mr. Keir 'Hardie, a Labour loader, in-1 terviewed at Cumnock, said ho had had tho '.impression . that recent guarantees, concerning the House of Lords had been obtained, .inasmuch as ; Mr.,; Asquith .had previously declared that. otherwise .: lie would not' assume office,; That impression .was strengthened when-the; Cabinet vacancies were filled. But. he learned' on Thursday that tho House of Commons had been asked to pass the Budget first and to trust to luck in'dealing with the House of Lords. Thiß, besidos" being bad ' policy, would be a breach of faith with the country on : Mr. Asquith's part. Mr. Keir Hardie argued that a resolution em-;, bodying the principles of the Veto Bill would suffice to make . the Houso of Commons' passing. of. the -Budget'. depen : dent . on the Houso, of Lords' acceptance of tho resolutions. "The Times" remarks: , "If.Mr..Keir. Hardio's notion, that supplies ' should be refused until tho. King: consents to com-i pel the House of. Lords to commit suicide is the. idea of. constitutional politics entertained by the Socialist members ; of; the' House of Commons, tho crisis lias rendered a public service in bringing it to light." - WHEN THE HOUSE MEETS. AN EARLY CRISIS.,

. (Rec. Fobruary 20, 5 p.m.) . - • London, Fobruary 19.: ; The Master, of-Elibank. has issued a' Whip dealing with the business on. Monday, and; adding that ; an; important division is possible before'.tho debate on the Address-in-Roply is reached. . This is unusual, and no.explanation is offered. - A MINISTER RESORTS TO ' ' ' ; ADJECTIVES., .' •'London, February 19. Mr. Herbert ..Samuel,.. PostmasterGeneral, speaking at . an Eighty, Club dinnor; said the Government's action regarding tho House of Lords would be swift, courageous, and decisive. THE BUDGET. EMERGENCY MEASURES-IRISH PROTEST. -. - (Rec., February 20, 5 p.m.) . London, February 19. Tho Treasury is issuing four millions worth of bills, payivblo in a month. Recent issues of bills: have been nine millions ono month's, and five and a half millions two months'. Tho Dublin 'Chamber of Commerce has passed a resolution condemning tho ro-

introduet;oii of the Budget is; imposing on Ireland undue taxation,' '? *.

THE WHIP EXPLAINED. KING SIGNS SPEECH FROM THE : I THRONE. ,| (Eeo. February. 21, 0.5 a.m.) London, February 20. . His Majesty the King has signed the Spoech from the Throne. There are indications that the early division foroshadowed in the Government whip relates to a resolution enabling the House to deal comprehensively with the Budget' as the first business.-of tho session. HOUSE OF LORDS REFORM. . LORD NEWTON' PRESSES AN : . issue. ■ London, February 19. Lord Newton (who introduced i some (imo ago a' House of Lords Reform Bill; which : gave rise to the appointment of i Lord Rqsehery's Committee : of . Peers, whose reform scheme was published, last | year), has given notice , for .a debate in [ the House o? Lords at an early clay on the recommendations of Lord Itosebery's Committee.