THE PREMIER'S REPLY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1201, 9 August 1911, Page 5

THE PREMIER'S REPLY.

STATEMENT AT KING'S REQUEST. STORY OF THE CRISIS. Tho Prime Minister, Mr. Asqnith, followed Mr. Balfour, and said: "As it is desirable that there should bs no mystery or misunderstandings over a perfectly simple and correct transaction, at tho King's strong desire I am able to disclose communications which have hitherto been confidential. "Tho matter beramo urgent on April 9, 1910, when the Veto resolutions wero approved, and the Parliament Bill was introduced. King Edward was then on tho throne, and the majority inside and outside the House of Commons was beginning to ask, not unnaturally, whether the election had been reduced to a nullity, and mattors were again to result in a futile deadlock. Position in April, 1910. "Accordingly, on April 14, after a careful consultation with my colleagues, in language approved by them and communicated to the King, who was abroad, I used these words: " 'If the Lords fail to accept our policy or decline to consider it, wo shall feel it to be our duty immediately to tender advice to the Crown as to the steps which will 'havo to be taken if that policy is to receive statutory effect in this Parliament. What the precise terms of that advico will bo it would, of course, not be right for me to say now, but if wo do not find ourselves in a position to ensure that statutory effect shall bo given to that policy in this Parliament we shall either resign our otlico or recommend tho dissolution of Parliament, and in no case would wo recommend a dissolution except under such conditions as will secure that in tho new.Parliament tho judgment of tho people as expressed at tho election will be carried into law.' "

Mr. Asquith, in quoting this statement, laid special emphasis on tho phrase: "In no case we resommond a dissolution exoept under such conditions as will secure that in the now Parliament the judgment of the people as expressed at the election will be carried into law." Plain Language. Continuing, tho Prime Minister said: "That was very plain language, which represented the deliberate policy of the Government. It was so understood and accepted by friends and antagonists. That policy was announced while I was still King Edward's Minister, ami the only observation I have to make in reply to Mr. Balfour's very unhappy reference anent tho new King is that within a month King Edward's reign had prematurely nnd most unexpectedly ended. A political truce followed for the best part of six months, and an honest, continuous, and well-inspirnd endeavour was made by tho leading representatives of both parties to arrive at. a settlement.

After the Conference, "Wlieu Uio experiment broke down, the Ciovornnient reverted to tho policy of April. -After the fullest consideration, wo thought right to advita a dissolution, but we eltarly opined that it would

neither bo honourable nor justifiable to go into an election blindfold. Many hard words have been used about me, but we would have teen rightly accused, of treachery and trickery if we had gone into dissolution without any understanding. The Advice to the King. "When we came to tho conclusion that it was our duty to adviso the King to dissolve, we accompanied our advice on. tho 15th with this statement:— " 'Your Ministers cannot take tho responsibility of advising a. dissolution unless they understand that in tho event of the policy of tho Government being approved by an adequate majority in the new House, your Majesty will bo ready to exercise the Constitutional powers which may involve tho prerogative of creating Peers, if needed,-to secure that effect shall be given to the decision of the country.*

" 'Your Ministers are fully alive to the importance of keeping tho nanio of the King out of the sphere of electoral controversy. They talco upon themselves tho entire and exclusive responsibility for the policy which they will place before the electors. Your Majesty will doubtless agree that the intention of tho Crown should not be made public'

"No Alternative," "His Majesty, after, discussing the matter in all its bearings with myself and Lord Crcwe, felt that he bad no alternative but to assent. Accordingly, on November 18, the dissolution was announced. "I challenge the Opposition to say what is the Constitutional outlet now that the Lords insist on adding to tho Parliament Dill the referendum, which the country has deliberately repudiated. Tho country was fully warned of the dangers of Home Rule. You may think the nation was misled, befooled, and defrauded, but at tho present moment no alternative for tho Government is possible, and no respon- , sible Minister would counsel a third dissolution. An Exceptional Situation, "It is no good blinking facts. The country 4 bas to face a precise situation justifying a wholly exceptional use of the prerogative." Mr. Asquith, in concluding his speech, said :— "Lord Grey in 1832 was also accused of a breach of the Constitution and of treachery to th» Crown. But I am not in the least sensitive to this cheap and ill-informed vituperation. I have served three sovereigns, and have constantly striven to uphold the dignity and just privileges of the Crown. But I hold office not only by the favour of tho C'iw?n, but in the coufidenco of the people, arid I should bo guilty of treason indeed if in the supreme moment of a great struggle wero I to betray their trust."

Mr. Asquith thon quoted the answer given by him to Mr. Wedgwood in the House- of Commons, aud continued:

No "Guarantee," "If I had resigned, Iho King would havo sent for tho Loader of tho Opposition, who would havo been compelled to dissolve tho House. It was almost impossibleta keop the name and authority of flic King out of t'ho arena of tho electoral conflict. The King doubtless thought this was a matter which it was peculiarly incumbent upon him to safeguard. "I never used cither publicly or privately the words 'guarantee' or 'pledge-' with regard to this matter. There has never been any question of obtaining tlio Koyal Assent in advance to a cast-iron legislative scheme, which was to bo rammed through Parliament. It was perfectly certain that t'ho King's consent would never have been granted to such a proposal. Tho Bill throughout had been treated, and is treated now—as wo shall see to-morrow—as a Bill approved in principle by tho electorate, and thereforeto be carried into law. But , it is susceptible to any reasonable amendment which is not fatal to its principle." "It was my strong hope and belief that the House of lords would' bo prepared, without pressure, to give substantial effect to tho decisive wishes of tho electors. Only when that hope was frustrated was tho King asked—and consented—to tho exercise of his prerogative. Tho circumstances were far stronger than in 1832." I THE MOTION DEFEATED. Vociferous cheering followed the conclusion of Mr. Asquith's speech, many of the Liberal members waving hats and papers. On the House dividing, Mr. Balfour's motion was rejected, the voting beiuj;:— For the motion 2-1G Against tho motion 355 Majority against 119