ONE CAUSE, ONE PARTY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2645, 16 December 1915, Page 5

ONE CAUSE, ONE PARTY

DEBATE IN BRITISH PARLIAMENT ' the leaders By Mtgraph—Fmbb Association—OopyiigM London, December 14. Sixty Unionist members of the Houseof Commons met and passed a resolution objecting to the years extension of Parliament as being over-long. They also condemned tlie preservation of the Plural Voting Bill for Parliament, and the Bill, which k certain, to ho opposed by sportsmen. A DEBATE IN THE HOUSE (Rec. December 15, 8.16 p.m.)' London, December 15. In the House of Commons, Mr. W. H. Cowan (Liberal) moved the rejection of the Bill for extending the life of the present Parliament. The Government, ne declared, had not shown by their conduot of the war that they were worthy to continue to hold the confid-. ence of the country. "They have failed both in their diplomacy and their war operations." Mr. Bonar Law said that if the coalition were to continue, an attempt should bo made to carry on the war with a united people. That was a clear case for compromise, and the compromise, such as it was, of extending the life of Parliament was his own proposal. He thought that the Unionists should be proud of the part they had played since the war, arid hoped that no one in the future would say that the party had sacrificed the nation's interests for party ends. If he found that his party had lost its confidence in. him as a member of the Government, he would instantly leave the Cabinet. "I have not forgotten the party's in. terests, and when the time <*>mes I will do my utmost to prevent the Plural Voting Bill from passing. • I can-con-ceive of circumstances which ' might arise to necessitate our leaving : the Government, but our party could not make a greater mistake than to quarrel now on this issue." Mr. E. G. Hemmerde (Liberal) said that the Government, had done extremely well in difficult circumstances. The small talkative groups below the "gangway" did not represent the views of the Liberals. Mr. Ronald M'NmU" (Unionist) " said that Mr. Asquith had exploited Mr. Bonar Law's patriotism. It was a low, mean, and despicable triumph. He proceeded hotly to attack the Government, but the Speaker intervened. Mr. M'Neill said that he ought to move a censure motion. Mr. John Dillon (Nationalist), paid a: t warm tribute to. Mr. Bonar "Law's ' speech. He did not think the Unionist leader was capable of such a lofty speech. Mr. Asquith said that when the appropriate time camo he would be prepared to join issue with the critics, but at present such a'course would be detrimental to the country's interests and the prosecution of the war. Ha and his colleagues did not desire to shroud themselves in a veil of seorocy—he t would like nothing better than to take the full House into his full confidence. If he sat still under implications which easily be refuted and blown into ' the air it was not because his case was 1 weak, but beoause 6elf-restraint and re--3 ticence was his bounden duty as one of the trustees of the national interests. An election in January would be a national oalamity. The, Bill was read a second time.