The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-10-29
Never Was There Greater Need For
a United Ireland Than
at Present.
New Questions Cause Discord in
Both the Liberal and
Tory Ranks.
Talk of a Successor to Balfour
Brings Two Names to the
Surface.

Every week that passes adds new
complications to the already puzzling
position of British politics, says Rev.
O. B. Mcclure in Dublin letter to
the Catholic Columbian of Columbus,
Ohio.
For the moment each one of the
four parties that go to make up the
house OF commons is more concerned
with it's own internal troubles than
with the maneuvers of its opponents.
The situation is constantly changing.
It will be we'll for friends of Ireland
in America to remember that in the
months that are coming. Never was
there greater need for United Ire
land, and never since parliamentary
agitation began has there been greater
need of united party trusted by and
having the confidence of the country.
No cut-and-dry policy can be map
ped out as best for Ireland. Politics is
game; and this is peculiarly true
of the present situation. The Irish
policy must for the moment depend
on the movements both of its enemy,
and its allies in Great Britain. This
changing condition of the situation is
c1,ter to many causes but especially
just at the present to the new ques-
tions which from week to week. al
most from day to day, are injected in
to the controversy. A few questions
which have arisen during the past
week will show this and will show al
so how they threaten new divisions
and sources of discord both in Liberal
and Tory ranks.
Labor Party's Activity.
Since the Trades Unions conven-
ton, the labor party have entered up
on an active campaign for the rever-
sal of the so-called Osbourne judg-
ment, and this week the party leaders
have given warning that motion to
this effect will be the first move when
parliament reopens. This policy will
throw bomb into the Liberal camp
at the very opening of parliament. To
understand the serious situation in
which the government will find itself
the knowledge of few facts is nee
essary. ...
The labor members, who are poor,
and the labor organizations in general,
are supported by the contributions of
their constituents. It has been custom
ary for the trades unions to levy a
tax on their members for this pur-
pose Not all members of trades un-
ions belong to the labor party, many
are Liberals, some also are Conserva'
tives. On these and other grounds the
legality of such levy was controvert-
ed. The question was finally referred
to select committee of the house of
lords. This tribunal decided that the
tax was unjust and illegal; and the
decision from the name of the party
appealing has become known as the
Osbourne judgment. The court is the
highest in the land, and its decision
cannot be reversed except by act of
parliament. Many liberals are in "a
vor of an act of parliament to re-
verse it. 1t will be seen, therefore,
how much this controversy threatens
a cleavage in the governments ranks.
A Hornets Nest.
But during the week another as
pect of the same question has stirred
up a hornets nest in the Unionist par
ty. In these countries members Of
parliament have no salary. The Labor
party advocates the payment Of men,
bers, although they would not accept
an act of parliament to this effect as
equivalent to a reversal of the Os-
bourne judgment, which, they claim,
not merely renders labor representa-.
ton in parliament impossible, but
threatens seriously to impair the
whole fabric of trades union organi-
zation. The Liberal party is more or
less In favor of the payment of men,
bers; but there is much Whiggery
IN its ranks. Up to the present the
unionists have been, on principle and
by policy, unanimously opposed to the