UNIONIST SPLIT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1648, 15 January 1913, Page 7

UNIONIST SPLIT.

—V— LEADERS AT VARIANCE. FOOD TAX ISSUE. * SEVERE PARTY CRISIS. i By. Telegraph—PreßS Association—Copyright t (Rec, January ,14,. 9.55 p.m.) London, January 14. ( Mr Austen Chamberlain, Unionist MP - , j for Worcester and-Chancellor of tho Exchequer in tho Balfour Administration,' in ( speaking at AcocVs Green, Worcester- | shiro,' said; tho Unionists wcro passing t through a crisis, and ho was afraid the ( change in the tariff reform policy would bo calamitous to the party' and a mis- j fortune to the Empire He did not wish ( to increase the leaders' difficulties, but ( Mr; Bonar Law's Ashtdn speech had failed to allay, the, restlessness created by his Albert Hall speech. Although he (Mr. Chamberlain) had not been consulted about tho Ashton speech, while he did not wholly ngrco with it, he was prepared to subordinate his views to thoso of his leader, and would be still ready to do so if the position were unchanged; but tho position had changed. Tho timid ones had become frightened and the stroug upholders of the tariff reform policy had become puzzled With uncertainty had come a widespread movement to postpone preference. He believed that tho food duties wcro necessary to afford justice to their own agriculture, and because it would bo impossible to secure, community of interests between the different parts of tho Empirb.'withbiit them. "Ho urged his colleagues to throw their whole strength into tho campaign and not erase their efforts until they had destroyed tho misrepresentations with which the rolicy had been clouded. Ho still believed this to bo tho most courageous and wisest course, but tho party's decision was against him, and ; he, for the first time, was .unable to share the responsibility for the decision. He could not turn' back himself or ursay what he had said, or pretend to like the changed attitude. LEADERS CONFER. MEMORIAL SAID TO BE ACCEPTED. London, January 13. Mr. Bonar Law, Leader of the Opposition, and Lord Lansdowne, Leader of the Opposition in tho Houso of Lords, conferred to-night. It is understood they have agreed to tho policy set out in* the Unionist memorial to Mr. Bonar Law, with slight modification > THE ONLY DIFFERENCE. MR. F. E. SMITH'S VIEW. ~ i (Rec. t January 14, 935 pm.) London, January 14 Mr, F. E Smith, tho Unionist frontbencher, in speaking at Cricklewood, said the only differences amongst Unionists wore whether tho food- taxes were to be decided on a proposal submitted to the country at a referendum or at a general election. {