IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2913, 12 January 1910, Page 61

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN SPEECH BY MR ASQUITH. QUESTION OF NAVAL SUPREMACY, LONDON, January 4. Mr Asquith, speaking at Haddington, after paying a graceful tribute to the late Lord Percy, emphasised Mr Balfour's silence at Haddington towards Mr Haldane's reconstructon army. He predicted that if the Tories were returned they would follow on Mr Haldane's lines. Regarding defences, he affirmed that no Government had given more time and sustained thought thereto than the Liberals. The Government had recognised to the full the increasing risks whereto Britain's naval supremacy was exposed, and it did not hastate to call for large sacrifices for a substantial addition in the naval expenditure, which was one of the principal causes of the Budget This additional sum was being better and more fruitfully, expended than if it had been spent earlier.; Continuing, Mr Asquith said: "Our position as regards the navy now and for future years, wherefor we as an Administration are responsible, is one of unassailable superiority." Adverting to economic questions, he declared that Freetrade was more than a benefit; it was a vital necessity. He did! not pretend that the Liberal policy would cure unemployment, but he said it could do much to mitigate it. The. Government's policy was constructive. The Lords had rejected the Budget because it was a complete and effectual alternative to tariff reform, and by that action they had exceeded their well-settled constitutional functions. TARIFF AND~ EMPLOYMENT. LONDON, January 3. In the course of a letter, Mr Winston Churchill says that the lesson, both from the German and American tariffs, is that! however high they may be they are not able to prevent severe, widespread, and chronic unemplo3inent among the industrial population. So far as Great Britain; is concerned, trade and employment are now improving so quickly that the present pinch is nearly over. They must make good preparations against a return of the evil, and the best guarantee that thif would be done will be a strong Liberal* Progressive majority in the new Parli* ment. THE BALANCE OF POWERLONDON, January 4. Mr Churchill, in the course of a letter to Mr Hamar Greenwood, M.P. for York, says that, even if the Tories, as they anticipated, gained 100 seats, the balance of power would be in the hands of the Irish Nationalists. His view is a generous settlement with Ireland and the solidarity of the Empire. THE BUDGET DEFENDED. LONDON, January 4. Mr Arthur Cha-nberlain, chairman of Kynoch's Company, in a letter, strongly, defends the land clauses arnd social features of the Budget and Freetrade. He declares that the rest of the world is th« dumping ground for the Britisn manufac tursr. NAVAL SUPREMACY ESSENTIAL, LONDON, January 4. Sir E. Grey, speaking at Craster, said the Government had kept the navy up tc the mark. It was building many ships, because abroad, especially in Germany, so many new ships were being built. It was quite true that there was compete •lion in naval shipbuilding, but it was un< true that Britain had fallen behind. Hi did not like this increase in naval expenditure. It must be a burden on the resources of any country, but the navy was essential to Britain's safety, and sha could not afford to let other countries get up to her. She had been keeping ahead of them, and if need be, much aa he might regret it, she would increase her expenditure on armaments, which had already been so enormous, both here and in other countries. It was essential to • Britain that she should be on the sate side as regards the navy. FUTURE OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS. LONDON, January 4, Sir William Anson repeats Lord Rosebery's request for information respecting the future of the House of Lords. Several politicians and newspapers ara urging* Mr Asquith and! Mr Balfour to give similar information. Discussing the future of the Lords, Tins Times says that Mr Asquith lias now definitely disclaimed "'ending" the Second Chamber, and his party has sufficiently indicated its objection t~o " mending '« that body, which means altering and im« proving its composition. remains

therefore, the " bending" of the Lords, which seems to mean curtailing their powers while leaving their composition alone. Thus the alternative which jurists consider the worst course of all is that chosen by the Government. The Peers will address 115 meetings this week. TARIFF REFORM. LONDON, January 4. Mr Churchill writes that a 10 per cent, duty on imported leather which the tariffites promised the electors in order ,to win the Bermondsey seat means an additional burden upon the Leicester boot manufacturers of £200,000 a year, which is equivalent to about 3s a week on the wages of the ordinary operative. But the boot industry would be thus greatly injured through a protective duty designed to raise the price of the material it uses, it stands to gain nothing from Protection itself. Speaking at Witham, Lord Rayleigh favoured making foreigners contribute to the national expenditure. There might be;some doubt 'regarding who would pay ihe export and import duties, but there was no dispute regarding who would Teceive them. Hie' therefore strongly supported tariff reform. ADULT SUFFRAGE. LONDON, January 4. In the course of- an address at Battersea, Mr John Burns said that he favoured adult suffrage, and if this declaration were not embodied in his election addresses the ladies had'themselves to blame for the omission. Lord Claude Hamilton will stand as the Conservative candidate for South Kenrington. SPEECH BY MR BALFOUR. LONDON, January 5. Mr Balfour, speaking at Hanley, said /Tie crisis had revealed the fact that different ideals were growing up, separating the community into two great sections which were widely divergent, and • affecting not onlv matters of detail but the whole foundation whereon the Empire rested. The issues were of such magnitude that lie .must reserve for future discussion the ouostions of the Constitution, the reform of the Second Chamber. HomeRule, parental freedom in selecting the form .of religious teaching for children, and other questions. He proceeded to consider the question, of defences, and rebutted the accusation that he wa.3 makingparty capital out of the navy. The adequacy of the naval preparations was only que-stlored after Ministerial state-Tr-.ent.~ had be°n made. He contended ffy>t when th? Unionists left office Britain's strength in battleships was overwhelming, and there were ample naval .--tore?. Mr Balfour, continuing, said the Government since then had been living on those battleships and consuming those stores. Referring to Mr Milliner's revelations, lie remarked that it was not until the truth leaked out, or was extracted almost by a process of torture, that the country began to realise the unprecedented position—that its naval superiority on the seas would be threatened in the near future. Everything depended on the navy. We existed as an Empire only on sufferance unless the navy be supreme. Mr Baliour added: —"I do not believe there is going to be any war between Britain and any Great Power, but the only way you can secure peace is to be sure of victory if war occurs." He proceeded to urge tariff reform as, the. best way of raising the revenue, giving security to our producers, and increasing the productive capacity of the country. He looked also to its effects overseas.' Mr Balfour added: " We must work oat our Imperial salvation by wisdom, moderation, mutual understanding,, and comprehension between the various equal self-governing democracies of the Empire. , ,The welding into closer unity of such a «uriously-formed body requires the labours •of successive generations of statesmen. Let us take one step at a time as commends itself to our commonsense and to that of our fellow-citizens across the seas." He added that he would never associate himself with a party which, when invited by our children to take a plain step xowards preference, thus promoting clo-fer unity, repudiated the invitation With scorn. SPEECHES BY MINISTERS. LONDON, January 5. In the course of a speech at Brighton, Mr Asquith defended the equitable revaluation of land and other features of the Budget. He. also reiterated the •supremacy of the Commons over all Blatters of taxation and finance. In the course of an address to his constituents at Dundee, Mr Winston Churchill said that the quarrel between a democratic electorate and a one-sided wealthy Chamber had come at last, and the collision: must involve a Constitutional change. Speaking at Eaton, Sir Edward Grey said that even-a Liberal Seoond Chamber, if based on hereditary right, would became increasingly Conservative in the course of time. The hereditary principle, .to the mind of. Ljbe.ra.ls, is out of date, i Speaking at St. Pancras, Mr Lloyd- .

George declared that travelling menageries of Peers had visited almost every part cf the kingdom. They had never worked , so hard in their lives. WESLEYAN METHODS CRITICISED. LONDON, January 5. I Sir R. Perks, who recently left the Liberal party, protests, that the Wesleyans I are subordinating their parliamentary ' action to the Free Church Federation's methods, which were inspired by ministers who we>re brilliant preachers but bad political! guides. TARIFF REFORM. LONDON, January 5. The Fiscal Reform League (Dublin) complains that the Redmondites are refusing the offer of tariff reform, to the detriment of the Irish agriculturists. In the course of a speech at Sheffield, the Agent-general for Western Australia, denied that the oversea dominions were indignant over the Lords' action. They, like the Motherland, were concerned- with the question of fair trade as against Freetrade. He advised his hearers to weigh the fiscal question, and to let the Motherland be their first consideration, then their kith and kin overseas. The Spanish Republican and Social Democratic party at Corunna is sending its greetings to Mr Lloyd-George, proclaiming him " the : benefactor of the universe." LORD LANSDOWNE'S VIEWS. LONDON, January 6. In a speech at Liverpool Lord Lansdcwne protested that his opponents' cardinal misrepresentation was that the House of Lordis had abrogated the right of controlling taxation. He cited Lord Loreburn'e statements that the Lordts had ample powers to' deal with money bills, and he asked what were the ample powers if it was never intended that they should be exercised. His amendment for submitting the Budget to the judgment of the country was treated as if it were an j Anarchist bomb sufficient to wreck every ' institution m the country. Ministers had proposed a revolutionary change in the Constitution, and had intended to substi- i tute for the present system what would i virtually be control by a single Chamber, j He complained of the levity wherewith •they approached. the problem of the future of tine House of Lords, and he quoted Ministers' vague and indefinite utterances on the ' subject. Lord Lansdowne (continuing) said that j whatever the people thought about the j Budget or the House of Lords they would j not allow any Government a free hand to . turn the Lords over to the uritempered i mercy of a chance majority in the House of Commons and of Ministers happening j to control that majority. He argued•that ; there never was a moment in the history of the country when such an experiment would be fraught with more danger, when the political pendulum swung with alarming rapidity. They might find themselves, as after the last election, with a House of Commons wherein there were over 300 members who had never been in Parlia- i ment before, and who consequently had : no special acquaintance with public affairs. They might also have a raw . Cabinet. Moreover, freedom of discussion in the House of Commons nowadays was unprecedented.lv curtailed. j Lord Lansdowne added : "In the back- j ground is the Irish party, watching and readv to sell itself to those who pay the highest political price for its assist- ; ance. Are you, with all these conditions, ' prepared to hand to the House of Com- ! . moris the direction of the affairs of a j great Empire, with India and the do- • minions overseas, the question of naval and military defence, finance, and all the great questions which should be naturally and deliberately dealt with by your Parliament? " ; Be Quoted approvingly the Rosebery , -committee recommendations, and con- j tended that the reform of the House of! Lords should be the work ol 'both poll- j Weal parties. There had been a not alto- j gether creditable incident when the com- '' mittee was set up. The Liberal Peers ' refused to participate or to asist in pro- ' moting a solution of the question. ! Lord Lansdowne also said that Lord . Rosebery's committee's recommendations would have given a very campact and efficient House. He was opposed to going much further, because he would always believe in the preponderating power of the House of Commons, and if they set up a House of Trords fortified by some process of election, and otherwise placed in a position analagous to that of the ! House of Commons, the House would claim what it did not claim now—coordinate power with the popular House. j i Lord Lansdowne proceeded to declare j . that the Lords opposed the Budget on its j own account, and also because they did ! . not wish the country to be switched off ! tariff reform and switched on another i policy ■ which the Lords believed to be ;■ suicidal. Be added that tariff reform was | the only system capable of maintaining i Britain's industrial pre-eminence. : j . GERMAN OBTRUSION. LONDON, January 6. ! In the course of his speech at Hanley , ,Mr Balfour said: " The statesmen and ■ diplomatists of the lesser Powers unani- : mously state that a struggle between j Germany and Great Britain is inevitable. ' I do not agree with JJicai, but they think

that we are not alive to a sense of our responsibilities, therefore we are predestined to succumb. This depreciation of British virility had gone so far that non-official Germans, men of position and character, engaged in great affairs, have actually had the audacity to say, ' Do you suppose we should ever allow Great Britain to adopt Tariff Reform?' It is .not desirable to press irresponsible conversations too far, but such audacity as to say that Great Britain shall not settle her taxation according to her own ideas makes my blood boil. Tariff Reform, if reasonably carried out, will greatly increase employment." He believed - in it from the point of view of the inhabitants of this island. The antiquated rules and prejudices of our grandfathers were unsuited for the competition of the present age, which required a reasonable system : of tariffs. Mr Balfour's speech is attracting universal attention in Germany. Several of the leading organs deprecate its sensational tone, and are sorry tliat he could not bring himself to disclose the names of the Germans who were using threats. Every intelligent German knows, says these papers, . that Mr Chamberlain's Tariff Reform scheme is purely a question of British internal politics. The Kreuz Zeituug declares that the overwhelming majority of the steadygoing, industrious German nation will be able to eventually accommodate themselves with equanimity to British Tariff Reform. ADEQUACY OF THE NAVY. LONDON, January 6. Speaking at North Berwick, Sir Edward Grey declared that the navy was in a position to protect Great Britain from any probable combination of fleets. RESTRICTIONS ADVOCATED. LONDON, January 6. Speaking at Hyde, the Earl of Crewe (Colonial Secretary) said that if the electorates confirmed the Lords' action the Lords would claim the power of amending every Finance Bill, and tfheir grip upon the country would thus be permanently fixed. In the course of his address to the electors the Master of Elibank (Liberal candidate for Midlothian) says that, owing to the Lords' action, it will be necessary to place upon the Statute Book an aot to ensure that in the matter of taxation the will of the people's representatives must be supreme. TARIFF REFORM. LONDON, January 6. The Tariff Reformers are opening socalled dumping shops in London and the Midlands wherein are exhibited arms, cycle fittings, and clothing as object lessons in foreign competition. In the course of a letter to the Unionist candidate at Bath, Mt Chamberlain says : "I am following -events with great interest, as the present is, I believe, the last time Ave shall have a real opportunity of securing Tariff Reform." Speaking at Wolverhampton, Lord Mi hier said:—" We Tariff Reformers stand for the whole policy of the taxation of foreign imports and of food duties as proposed by Mr Chamberlain." LORD ROSEBERY AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. LONDON, January 6. In reply to a correspondent, Lord Rose bery says that if he were a candidate, and were elected, he would vote against the Government, because he is opposed to them on three out of their four main issues. Loid Rosebery, in his letter, further says that the issues were against Socialism, which the Socialists recognised as being inherent in the Budget. He favoured a reformed Second Chamber, and opposed anything that was likely to lead to an independent Irish Parliament. GENERAL. LONDON, January. 6. Many of the Peers who are stumping the country are not experienced talkers, and are much heckled, and in some instances either a hearing is denied them or they are made the subject of much rough chaff. Speaking at Dundee, Mr Churchill advocated the nationalisation of British railways, adding that it would be an unthrifty operation to nationalise the land upon the terms which the landlords would ask. He also favoured the payment of members of Parliament. Speaking at Liverpool, Lord Rothschild declared that when the diamond trade was brisk there was no unemployment. REPLY TO MR BALFOUR, LONDON, January 7. In the course of a speech at Bath. Mr Asquith criticised Mr Balfour's Hanley speech for advertising; fears and apprehension without making himself directly responsible for them. If Mr Balfour did not agree with the opinion of the statesmen of the lesser Powers why did he quote them. He unhesitatingly affirmed that there was no such unanimity as was alleged, and that there was not a single Power, small or great, which was shaping its policy or basing itß calculations upon the assumption that war between Britain and Germany was inevitable or even probable, nor could he discern in J ajQKJHMflfter of the horizon any cause of :

f a quarrel, direct or indirect, between Britain and that great friendly nation. After ridiculing Mr Balfour's reference to unnamed Germans, Mr Asquith asked why should public opinion; which in the ! two countries was striving strenuously i and genuinely to promote a better under- ! standing, be wantonly inflamed and em- | bittered by tne advertisement, from the j lips of eminent statesmen, of silly j menaces which, whether jocular or serious, ; were unworthy of a moment's notice. I The scare was intended to enable Mr | Balfour's followers, amid the gusts and cross-currents of the election, to get ■ into port. Mr Asquith .(continuing) said the real i facts were that the Government had taken i prompt and effective steps to meet the I needs of the situation arising from the | facilities existing abroad, particularly in Germany, for hastening naval construction. The Government had added to the j estimates and expenditure, and it would I mean further expenditure next year. If | by his statement that the superiority of ] Britain's own seas was threatened Mr Balfour meant imperilled or endangered, he' would give the statement a flat and absolute contradiction. He would assert that for this year and - the year after the steps taken in regard to construction i and equipment were such as would ensure I Britain on the seas unassailable superi- ! ority, which depended not only on the number and armaments of ships, but almost equally on a proper organisation and distribution. We were mole secure for the defence of the shores concerned than at any time in the memory of a living man. Regarding tariff reform, Mr Asquith challenged Mr Balfour to state whether colonial preference could mean for practical purpcfi.es anything but the taxation of food. Mr Balfour had not yet made any statement on. that point, but he must do so sooner or later. The meeting; resolved to support Mr Asquith in finally establishing in all matters of national policy that the will of the people as expressed through the House of Commons shall prevail. ANOTHER SPEECH BY MR BALFOUR, LONDON, January 7. Mr Balfour, speaking at Ipswich, made a strong defence of Tariff Reform. Regarding the House of Lords, he said he did not want a democracy ruled by the Second Chamber, but freed, by the .Second Chamber, and enabled to control the country's destinies, whereas the Government would make itself a single Chamber. Mr Balfour next advocated the reform of the House of Lords. Speaking at Peckham, Mr Lloyd-George made a violent attack on Mr Balfour. He termed him a " tail-twister," and declared that his Hanley speech was the last reaort of a thoroughly desperate man, who saw that his case was lost. To talk about war with Germany was a danger to peace and a disgrace to British politics. THE HOUSE OF LORDS. LONDON, January 7. Speaking at Dundee, Mr Churchill said that the Lords' veto was the first question ; then would follow the discussion upon the future character of the Second Chamber. The Lords had begun a discussion that must prove fatal to the hereditary principle. Sir E. Grey, in the course of a speech, favoured an impartial Second Chamber amenable to the opinion of the country. SPEECH BY LORD LANSDOWNE. LONDON, January 8. Lord Lansdowne, speaking at Salisbury, protested against the prejudice and class hatred which he said the Radicals-were endeavouring to set up in this election as the modern substitute for the rotten eggs of former times. No British nterests would be safe if the House of Lords were only empowered to delay for a few months the passing of bills which were' sent up: The Liberals were filled with aspirations for peace, and allowed naval construction to lapse to an extent which, he believed, it was virtually impossible to overtake. In 1909 six millions sterling had changed hands in the estate market. How, then, could there be a monopoly with such transactions every day ? FEELING IN THE COLONIES. LONDON, January 7. Mr Francis Dormer, writing as an old colonist to The Times, doubts whether public feeling over seas supports the'new departures in Liberal policy. He offers to pay the cost of a referendum by cable to every daily paper in the Empire if any Liberal is willing to pay the expenses should the replies prove that the colonies favour the Conservatives. The Times, commenting on ivlr Dormer's letter, declares that colonial opinion need not be ascertained, as, broadly speaking, the parties overseas support their British equivalents. It is unimportant what opinion one part of the Empire holds regarding the internal affairs of another part, but the important thing is to know its opinion regarding Imperial questions. The paper adds that in the matter of trade preference the oversea dominions overwhelmingly support the Unionist policy. The Manchester Guardian and other Liberal newspapers are quoting the Australian newsgarjers to prove that colonial

'opinion is opposed to the claim of tho Lords to force a referendum. LESSON FROM GERMANY. - LONDON, January 7. The Westminster Gazette states that the annual report of the College of Aldermen ! (Berlin), summing up the conditions of \ the various trades, condemns high protection by levying high duties upon natural | products. Germany, it says, is having a \ tariff wall raised against her all round by j way of retaliation, and instances the action of France, Sweden, Holland, and j the United States. The report adds : "Such action compels the question whether the stoppage of and reconstruction of our ; fiscal policy are not in the 'nterest of all nations." The report contains a'severe criticism on the taxation of grain and food products. MR BURNS'S PROGRAMME. LONDON, January 9. Mr John Brmis's programme includes payment of members and election expenses, adult suffrage for men and women, shorter Parliaments, and an eight-hour clay. THE BOROttGH ELECTIONS. LONDON, January 9. There will be 67 borough elections next Saturday. FEELING IN GERMANY. LONDON, January 9. The Daily Mail's Berlin correspondent' reports that newspaijers of all shades of politics are unanimously assailing the English Conservatives and heaping vituperation on Mr Balfour. The Freisinnige Zeitung, discussing the English elections and tariff reform prospects, declares that foreign countries will have a powerful word to say in the matter, and asks: What would the Argentine say if Great Britain imposed a duty on their wool, tallow, v.-heat, and frozen meat, while importing the same goods duty free from Canada and Australia? Would other countries remain silent if a duty-free market were opened to the colonies in London? RELATIONS WITH THE COLONIES. LONDQN, January 10. Mr Austen Chamberlain, speaking at East Birmingham, said: —"The eelfgoverning dominions are not discouraged by the Liberals' decision. In. the offer of preference Britain alone hangs back, but she cannot postpone her decision indefinitely. If we allow the leaders to discourage commeircial union by describingit as a squalid bond, and if we allow illmannered Under-secretaries to slam the door in the face of the .'epresentatives of our kinsmen: overseas, the time will come when we shall be knocking at the shut door. The dominions will not come as suppliants, a.nd if Britain (refuses the proffered advantages other suitors are ready to woo. Italy., Belgium, and Germany are seeking the closer relations which Canada has granted <o,France, and if we remain blind to their material interests it will force our kinsmen to make commercial treaties with foreign countries.one-by one. These treaties will limit the scope of any possible preference, and may end in weaving commercial interests ,vith foreign countries closer than with the Motherland." The speaker fuvoted Mr Lloyd-George's speech at the Colonial Conference, wherein he stated that the excuse for refusing the colonial offers was the poverty of a large proportion of the British people. Mr Chamberlain replied that colonial kinsmen asked for no sacrifice. New markets for British products and more work on fairer terms for British labour were the p«rest remedies for poverty and unemployment. A HOSTILE RECEPTION. LONTjON, January 10. The Cornish granite wo-rkers compelled the abandonment of Mr Lloyd-George's torchlight procession at Falmouth. They were incensed because orders for granite for the Rosyth naval ba.se had been given to foreigners. There was »,n anwry demonstration at the station. The police escorted Mr LloydGeorge in a motor ear. ' PEERS' CAMPAIGN ENDED. LONDON. January 10. In consequence of to-day'p dissolution and a meeting of the Privy Council, the Peers have, completed their Budget campaign. They have addressed 260 antiBudget meetings since December 1.