CRISIS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9856, 25 July 1914, Page 5

CRISIS.

CONFERENCE FAILS.

s AGREES NEITHER ON PRINi CIPLES NOR DETAILS. • PRIME MINISTER DEFUSES , INFORMATION. AMENDING BILL TO BE DIB. CUSSED ON TUESDAY. (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Pl» ?BISS AMOOUfIOV.) Received July 25, 11.15 a.m. LONDON, July 24. After a forty minutes meeting to-day, the Palace Conference ended. Cabinet immediately met and subsequently the Prime Minister, Mr Asquith, stated in the Commons that the Conference had considered the possibility of defining the area to be excluded from the operations of the Home Rule Bill, and had failed to agree either as regards principles or details of such area. Replying to Sir J. H. Daliiel, Mr Asquith declined to state the exact difference of opinion between the members. The Amending Bill will be discussed on Tuesday. STOCK EXCHANGE DEPRESSED MR. BONAR~~LAW SILENT. i "GREATEST DANGER IN MEMORY OF LIVING MAN." LONDON, July 24. As a result of the Conference failure, the Stock Exchange is depressed. Consols have dropped to 75. After Mr Asquith's statement to a crowd* ed and expectant House, Mr Bonar Law, Leader of the Opposition, said he proposed to follow Mr Asquith's example and make no comment on the Conference report. Regarding the Amending Bill he thought it ought to be taken as soon as possible, and he would readily agree to taking it on Tuesday. The Times, in a leader, after traversing the negotiations, says: "The grim fact remains that the collapse of the conference leaves the country and Empire face to face with the greatest danger known in the memory of living man. The British Empire numbers over four hundred millions. This vast and delicate structure is to be imperil led. and for what reason ? Because Mr .Redmond wants to get control of two counties in the North of Ireland with a population of two hundred thousand, and the whole Empire i 9 to be 6trioken to its foundations because of this." The Manchester Guardian states that the Nationalist volunteers possess 2000 rifles, and all were sent to Ulster in motor cars last week.

TYRONE THE BONE OF CONTENTION. LONDON, July 24. The King gave an audience to»Mr Asquith after vesterday'a sitting, and" it was expected that a decisive statement will be issued to-day. It is understood that Mr Asquith declined to accept the Speakers suggestion to exclude Tyrone for two years and afterwards to ballot for* or against exclusion. [Following are the populations of the various counties of Ulster: —Londenderry, 99,845, Roman Catholio peroeotage, 45.8; Antrim, 193,864, R.C. percentage, 20.5; Down, 204,303, R.C. percentage, 31.6; Armagh, 120,291, R.C. percentage 45.3; Monaghan, 71,455, R.C. percentage 74.7; Cavon, 91,173, R.C. percentage 81.5; Donegal, 168,537, R.C. percentage 78.9; Tyrone, 142.665, R.C. percentage 55.4; Fermanagh, 61,836, R.G. percentage 56.2. These figures are from the 1911 census. The two counties in dispute arc Tyrone and Fermanagh, the former being contiguous to the excluded counties and the latter to Home Rule Ireland.]

PRIME MINISTER'S POPULARITY. (Tuns and Sydnit Bun Sibviom.) LONDON, July 24. Crowds gathered at Buckingham Palace to watch the arrival and departure of members of the Palace Conference, who were greeted with a mixture of groans and cheers. Mr Asquith, accompanied bjr his daughter, was enthusiastically received. The police were compelled to force a passago for hia motor car through the cheering crowd.

A ROSE BETWEEN TWO THORNS. SIR HORACE PLUNKETT AGAIN APPEALS TO ULSTER. LONDON, July 24. Writing to the Woolston Women Unionist Association, Hampshire, Sir Edward Carson said the position is so critical that any day may see a catastrophe. Government were apparently content to drift on until civil war breaks out. Sir Horace Plunkett (the noted Unionist authority on Irish affairs), in a pamphlet, again appeals to Ulster to give Home Rule a chance. He says he can say with absolute certainty that if Ulster will throw in her lot with Ireland she will find herself received with generous enthusiasm, which will last because it will be founded on respect. The Nationalist Lord # Mayor of Dublin says the people recognised the possibility of the failure of Home Rule owing to the arrogance of Ulster, but if they must have civil war, in God's name let it come.

MORE PRESS OPINIONS ON KING'S ACTION.

RADICAL PRESS CHASTISED. Received July 25, 9.5 a.m. LONDON, July 24. The Western Daily News, Liverpool Post and several Liberal provincial papers censure the London Radical press for attacking the King respecting the Palace Conference, and the phrase concerning civil war. The Times, in a leader, says the King made a plain, common-sense, and entirely accurate statement, and there was no partisan spirit. This is a simple definition of an extremely manifest fact, and it trusts that there will be no reprehensible criticism of the Sovereign, who has done manfully, and is anxiously trying to do the duties devolving on him as ruler, not of these islands alone, but of a world-wide Empire, which has watched anxiously his attitude in a moment of extreme crisis. The Chronicle says Mr Asquith is perfectly aware that the reason why the inexcusable words were published was not ; because they were innocent, but because he was careless. This sort of leadership is inadequate, and it is not the first time that Ministerial carelessness has allowed an inexcusable phrase to appear. Mr Asquith's own presence in the War Office might remind him of that.

"WOMEN'S RALLYING CRY." DISCRIMINATING BETWEEN THE REBELS. . Received July 26, 9.15 a.m. LONDON. July 24. Beatrice Harraden, the novelist, in a let- ; ter to the press, says: "The King's intervention in Home Rule comes as a rallying cry to women. A few weeks ago we heard that he had no power of intervention, Now not only has he called a conference » but one of the members autmnoruKV j»-

cause. For women aebels there are no conferences "with the King, but vindictive sentences final ruthless re-arrests. For m&n rebels Buclkinfitham Palace is opened wide. Nevertheless the women are in good cheer. Their urirest is spreading. WARNING TO SOLDIERS. LONDON, July 24. The War Office has issued orders prohibiting soldiers associating with the Ulster and Nationalist volunteers. The Irisli Guards (who cheered Messrs Dillon and Redmond oh their way to the Palace Conference) were paraded at Weilington barracks, and Colonel Morris stalled hj& was »sorry a soldier's uniform should give -way a political demonstration.