KING INTERVENES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2207, 21 July 1914, Page 5

KING INTERVENES.

A CONFERENCE

FOUR PARTIES INVITED

MEETING TO-DAY

TWO REPRESENTATIVES PROM EACH PARTY SELECTED

By Telegraph-Press Aisaociation-Oopyriitlit (Reo, July 20, 8 p.m.) London, July 20. His Majesty the King has invited tho. Upvormnent, the' Opposition, tho Na. tionaljsts, and the Irish Unionists to a conference at Buckingham Palace toinorvpw, each party to send two representatives, . '■'■;■'-.

Mr, Asyuith and Mr. Llqyd Geovgo will represent the' Government,. Lord Lanscjowiio and Mr. Bonaj Law the op= position. Mr. Redmond and Mr. Dilloii t|ie Natipnalists, and Sir Edward Carspn and Captain Craig the Irish Unionists. '

'The Eiuig's invitation to tlie Party leaders was' given on the advice of the Prime Minister, although the suggestion probably originated with his Slajesty himself. ■ ■-.

.This explains the delay in his departure for Portsmoutl), and i? the piitcpma of tho feverish activity in Ministerial circles during the last few da'ysi' • The newspapers describe : the conference as effoctuig a complete change in the situation, 'Hie Opp.osi? tipn was not consulted beforehand, but the Unionist and Ulster leaders' stant]y. responded tp tjie Royal ■ suiiir mpns, and'declare their resolve tp do their, utm.pst to make the conference a success, ■■ Mr\ Dillon was c]ipsen as Mr, Jl-ed-inpnd'p companion because lie represents rnpre especially the older generation <>f Homp Rulers.'. '..

Tho "Daily News," apparently mis awaro of tjip King's invitation, stated that the jiiberajs refluire stronger evk denco than that the King delayed \\m journey to Portsmouth before they .will believe he is disposed to exceed his constitutipnql'function. If such a thing is conceivable, a. new situation would no doubt arise, completely blotting put the Irish gucstjon. , The ""Daily Citizen" sayg tho Cabinet's secret had been closely kept, and none outside the charmed oirole knew their exact purport, but Mr. Asquith's . statements to-day reveal • nn unexpected drapmtio development. Week-end events have been full of significance, including pourparlere between Party leaders and Nationalists, whose mercurial spirits have been varying from jjloom to assure ance, and with the Prime Minister's constant attendance on the King, things have been , rapidly moving behind • tho Bcenes, '-..'. : ■■ - ■ •

The "Times" acclaims tho invitation to the conference as a wise and proper state-srnanliko. step, and likelier to extricate tho country from imminent peril than any other course. ''-It is tho application/of the prinoiple, often happily brought into play to terminate a (loadlock in industrial disputes by tho intervention of a superior, independent, ai]d disinterested authority who sought in order to arrive at an ami ca ble arrangenient, to bring tho parties together and by free discussion come', to an undersfanding; In the case of great political parties and a, dangerous aeadlock Ijko the present no one but the fsoyerpigii could play that almio stands ill the-position, of tho superior authority..? His-.prestige and aSsolutp impartiality in this evont is calculated.to strengthen the constitutional monarchy and to result to tho benefit of the nation.. •.'...'

Tho ,! 'Morning Post" eay-s the crisis has token a new and immensely sip;n> ficant turn. The hopo will bo general that Hip Majesty's, influence will suffice to achieve truly national ends in favour of which that influenqe is to bp exerted, The writer, however, concludes_ by warning the leaders against excessive optimism regarding the outepmo of the conference. : . ' ''~ ■': "

Tho ."Daily Mail" says all parties to the confereiico'will be expected to surrender {sp.niething.-/ The. time limit in the ainending Rule Bill is already cea.d, inasmuch as it is tacitly abandoned, eyw ,by the Liberals. The area limit presents greatpr difficulties, and. any proposal to'divide Tyrone or to include- it iir the Hpme Rule area.will arouse a. storm beyond Sir Edward Cor, son's power to allay.

HISTORICAL PARALLELS. I (Rec. My 20, 11.35 p.m.) 1 London, July 20. .Tho nearest: parallel to tho King's action was that of Queon Victoria's during the franchise crisis in 1884, in suggesting, at the end of October, a conference of tho leaders of. the parties of both Houses, This terminated ■ the deadlock by November 27; also King Edward's summoning, of Lord Lanedowne and Mr. BalfouK during the Budget controversy in 1909 was done after, the leading politicians on both sides had, visited' His. Majesty.. Mr. Asquitli's and Mr. Bonar Law's interviews towards the end of last week wore almost wholly restricted to details of tho-'various'proposals concerning the area of exclusion, and nothing was then said about a- conference at the Palace.

The Prime Minister and Mr. Lloyd George have now relinquished all other work to concentrate their energies on arriving at a settlement. . PROTEST BY TRADES UNION. ■(Rec. July 21, 0.40 a.m.) . London, July 20. Tliq National Executive of tlie Irish Trade Union Congress,-'sitting in Dub' lin, has protested against the exclusion of Ulster, and has summe-ilcd tJiework.' ers of Ulster to resist tho Provisional Government if it is established. HOME RULE SHIP HAS ARRIVED , IN HARBOUR. / By Tel«?i'aph—Press Association—OouyTiuht "rimoa" (ind Sydney "Eun" B<ir»lce«. (Rec: July 20, 5.1S p.m.) '■' ; London, July 19. Mr. T. P. O'Connor, in an articlo in "Reynolds' Newspaper," says wo are in the mood of travellers. After a, long voyage, tho Homo Rulo ship baa arrived in harbour, and will soon bo berthed. Restlessness and acute anxiety prevail, but wo must reject Sir Edward Carson's demand for all "Ulster to bo excluded, even at tho risk of facing Carson' 3 rifles. : SEIZURE OF ARMS. ' •. ■ . London, July 19. A consignment of arms labelled "Saddlery and harness" was seized at Dublin aboard the steamor from Heyshain. It is reported that four cruiseri captured a cargo of rifles, which were being landed from America by a yacht.