AFTER THE FRAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 20, 25 January 1911, Page 4

AFTER THE FRAY.

RIFT IN THE UNIONIST CAMP. "ILL-DISCIPLINED DISCONTENT." j (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, 16th December. Many people of Unionist sympathies entertained the hope as the election approached that the party would close its ranks and show no outward signs of cleavage while the great struggle was foing on. To a certain extent it did so. "or the time the complaints against the leadership of Mr. Balfour, which had been voiced by a certain section of the Unionist press, were hushed, and they went ahead. But Mr. Balfour's speech at the Albert Hall at the end" of November was the signal for a renewed outburst. The Morning Post again led the sedition, and as soon as it was possible to judge of the general result of the elections it called upon the Tariff Keform Party to come to an understanding. "It is no longer possible or desirable (says The Post) to ignore the gravity of the situation into which the Unionist Party has drifted during the past fortnight." The specific cause of complaint is the frequent changes of policy within the last fortnight regarding the use of the Eeferendum. First of all, at Nottingham, it was to be employed simply to settle Parliamentary deadlocks. Then (at the Albert. Hall) it was to be brought to bear on the "principles" of Tariff Reform. And lastly (at Dartlord, on Monday), Mr. Balfour declared that the "Tariff Keform Budget" should be submitted to Referendum. The Post holds that if the Unionist Party had been elected there would have been no excuse or necessity for lef erring the matter to a Iteferendum, since it has been discussed as the official policy -of tli© party for some yeara. "Clearly," it says, "the Unionist Party will have .to retrace its steps, and the only question is that of how. far. . . . But that is not the only blow which the leader of the Unionist Party has unwittingly aimed at the old Constitutional system. But how does his doctrine that a Government may ignore failure to carry the principal measure of the programme on which the party was returned to power fit in with the traditional system of British politics all over the Empire? A drastic change of this kind should not be initiated in the middle of a general election; nor should it be initiated at all without the fullest deliberation. THE REFERENDUM SEGPiET. "Everyone now knows that the original inspiration of the Tariff Referendum came irom Mr. Chamberlain's enemies within the Unionist camp, who succeeded in persuading a few influential Tariff Re formers that here was a sure plan of winning the election. Aa it turns out, the faction at whose behest the fair chance of victory for Tariff Reform was thrown away were not worth a hundred votes in a single constituency. In Manchester itself the only increased Unionist poll was where the Referendum pledge was promptly and emphatically repudiated." The Post concludes with a bold demand for an independent Tariff Reform policy : "The Ro&ebery-Lansdowne policy was an awkward lo"ad for Tariff Reform to carry, but one that some Tariff Reformers were inclined to accept for the sake of a clear course to the goaL That motive was dispelled at the Albert Hall, with consequences which are now beginning to dawn on the party at large. The only question, for Tariff' Reformers now consMer Is whether they should not "make the old Constitution of this country the starting point of their next campaign. They would thus gain the support not only of the uncompromising Tariff Reformers in the working class, but also of the moderate men who have been frightened by the spectacle of the Unionist Party proposing practically to 'scrap' the old system of government. In any case Tariff Reformers must inskt without delay on having a clear course to -run. in their association with the Unionist Party." Mr. Pearson's group of papers declare emphatically that there is no rift in the party, and the Telegraph reiterates its confidence in Mr. Balfour's leadership of the ultimate success of Tariff Reform. It says : "Mr. Balfour is unflinching with -egard bath to its commercial and Imperial - aspects. He contemplates neither swerving noi delay. No position could be plainer. But Tariff Reform never can be carried except by a settled, specific, and unmistakable majority of the people. Nothing more fatal and stupid could be iinagined than to attempt Tariff Reform with a email majority, or under the risk of seeing it reversed at the very next election after it had been nominally carried. Unless Tariff Reform can be grappled with under conditions ensuring that it shall be emphatically endorsed t>y the country upon a referendum, it could not be carried a-t all. What remains for Unioniste is to rally round Mr. Balfour like one man. He' was never at any previous moment of his career as great a leader as he has shown himself in this struggle. He never was so sure, of the- absolute and enthusiastic allegiance of his tollowers. His course in the last four weeks has been in every respect decisive, fearless, and wise. In the unprecedented Constitutional struggle that is approaching, his Parliaxnentaiy gifts will be priceless to the national cause. The public emergency is supreme, the Unionistfi could not desire greater leadership than Mr. Balfour is giving them, and means to give them, and no far-sighted man can for one moment doubt the issue."