The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-18
Eng|and's Prime Minister
 Must Solve Big Problem
VETO BILL WILL BE PUSHED
If Asuufth Cannot Handle Veto Meas ure He Must Put It Up to the King and Secure Help
 or Resign
BY PAUL LAMBETH

BY PAUL LAMBETH London, December 17.-(Special)- With the principal ending of the cleo tions today, and only one or two con- stituencies still to vote. the question as to what will be done towards set ting the constitutional questions in volved in the election comes up for an- swer.
 The liberals, nationalists and labor ties came out with majority of 126, just two more than they had in the last election. And the next move is up to Prime Minister Asquith.
 In the opinion of well informed ob- servers MT. Asquith must push his veto measure and when it Is turned down by the house of lords, as 1t will undoubtedly be, he must put the ques ton squarely up to King George, with a demand that a sufficient number of new peers be created to pass thet bill. If the King grants the demand 1t is probable that the lords will recede and the new peers will not be needed If he should refuse Asquith could eith- CT resign or by a combination of the moderates of both parties carry on the government
 The probability Is so strong that 1t is almost a certainty that the veto meas ure will be pushed to the init. Not only will the Irish nationalists and la borites insist on this, but a majority of liberals also strongly favors 1t.
 Further Conferences
 There is a good deal of talk of fur ther conferences and compromises, but it is to be noted 1t comes almost en- tirely from the unionist side. One of the most moderate of the unionists in | sists that the entire constitutional is- sue should be dealt with immediately by a representative body having the confidence of the nation to an extent not enjoyed by the council of eight" and declares that this Is the view of all sensible persons not blinded by the prejudice of birth or the passion of so- cialism."
 He warningly contends that there must be Large concessions and big sac rifces in both principle and principal If the Kingdom continues to avoid this 1t will need but few more blunders and little more obstinancy to expand into a blood-red catastrophe.
 This opinion carries all the more weight because 1t Is expressed by sharp critic of MT. Balfour, who also is supposed to be in favor of new conference with a broader base of authority.
 King George Is giving the situation more attention than ever, and has laid aside | faY,, oyI1 ,ofi inn, programme, a matter he intends to keep within possible control. It is asserted that the King will urge MT. Asquith to make a more comprehensive attempt to reach a compromise as to the scope of the second chamber before increasing It's membership. m..ts... 4 Cleavage in Ranks In the unionist ranks the cleavage caused on the eve of the election by MT. Balfours opportunist suggestion about a referendum for tariff reform has been deepened this week by Austen Chamber lain's defiant. T never would have made it." The son of the author of the poli- cy Is speaking for the father when he repudiates the tactics by which the tory free traders were brought into line.
 Moreover, the younger Chamberlain never omits anything in speech or ac- tion that might promote his ambition to lead the unionist party against free trade and against home rule.
 He is loud in his demand that tho situ- T alton created. by MT. Balfour's implied promise be considered in all It's aspects. This seems to forecast civil war in the
 The Morning Post repudiates tho refer endum altogether. The Standard says 1t is impracticable.
 The Times hedges delightfully."-. The Telegraph backs Balfours policy. MT. Chamberlain and MT. Smith oppose 1t. l The tariff reformers arc uneasy and the liberals make much of this split. but doubtless MT. Balfours diplomatic genius | will never let the situation. become source of absolute division
 Home Rule Differences
 As regards homo rule. the prophets are at vcffance, but most of them fix 1914 or 1915 as the earliest year in which John Redmond could touch the goal if the parliamentary procedure contemplated in the Asquith bill for snding the obstruc- ton of the tory house of lords is fol- lowed.
 MT. Redmond, in restating the require ments of Ireland, said:
 "No alteration of the constitution on the supremacy of the imperial parlia- ment but to merely to take our place in the ranks of other portions of the em- l pire-some 28 in number-which in purely local affairs are governed by instructions l of their own.
 John Devlin says his recent experience In the United States convinced him that "when our American friends hear across the Atlantic yells and howls of torres the man who gave us 8 will want to add another flyer and the man who gave us one eagle will wish to send two"
 Feeling in Ulster does not improve. It 1t pure sensationalism to assert that &C., tual steps have been taken to procure arms in large quantities to resist home rule. if forced into law by the coalition government.
 But the "orange defense fund" has reached large proportions and the 1 unionist associations throughout Ulster are in first-class state of organization.
 Changes in Party Lines
 London. December 17-With the excep- ton of few personal changes, the new headquarters will be the same as the old. If the results in six districts yet to be declared repeat the decision of Last January. the old predominant parties.