The Irish standard., 1911-06-17
o'Brienism still persists in certain

and the Irish leaders are absurd Ne
gotiations at close quarters have not
yet even started, but 1 have no doubt
everything will be arranged satisfac-
torily, even finance which is the crux
OF the new home rule bill.
Most Energetic Ministry.
This ministry, when it goes out of
Office, will be known as the most ener-
getic that ever existed in English his
tory. 1t looks as if the liberal party.
after nearly twenty years of exclusion
from Office, were determined to crush
into few years the work of half a
century. Never, too, in the history of
England have revolutionary changes
been deemed impossible even half
century hence marched to the law book
with such break-neck rapidity. We
have the house Of lords, for instance,
not merely robbed of its old omnipo-
tence by the veto bill of the liberals,
but committing suiced at the bidding
of it's own leaders. Similarly, there is
a steady march to new form of pa
ternalism which again is in violent an
tagonism to the opinions of even the
radicals of q quarter of a century ago
Asquith is superb house of COM
mons leader; has a bigger following
perhaps than any Of his colleagues;
but the multiplicity of his occupa-
TONS the necessity of always watch
ing the eddies and tides of the house
of commons, make it impossible for
him to attend closely to measures
brought in by his powerful and ener-
getic subordinates. Deadly tired worn
out by all night sittings. by two great
electioneering campaigns, so hoarse
that he could not speak and could not
smoke, rather depressed. because he is
always haunted by the thought that he
will not be long lived. Lloyd George,
nevertheless, in his retreat worked
night and day to perfect this mighty
measure; and now, with that tremen-
dous energy of his, augmented by this
comparative quiet, he is pushing for
ward the measure; and doubtless will
have it passed into law during the next
few months.
Feverish Energy Shown.
Other ministers are working with
the same feverish energy Winston
Churchill attended two grand commit
tees four days a week for he is try
ing at one and the same time and in
the same session, to shorten the scan-
dalously long hours of the employees
in shops and to reduce the terribly
tragic roll of accident and death in
the mines. Even this does not ex-
haust his energies; for it is he who Is
trying to solve the almost insoluble
problem Of relieving the labor party
and their trades unionists from the
deadly blow inflicted on them by the
Osborn Judgment. The Osborn judg-
mcnt robbed the unions of the right to
make compulsory levy on their mem
bers for political purposes and cspe-
cially for the payment of members Of
parliament. The government in the
Dill Is trying to steer a middle course
between compulsion and voluntary
subscriptions; and it remains to be
seen how far it will succeed in albeit
ting the labor party, who are an i'm
portant factor in the present calcula-
ton of forces that keep the govern
men in Office.
The other great bill, which is de-
manding the energy of the ministry
and also of members, is the copyright
bill. This also is for the moment be-
fore a grand committee. The grand
committee is the house of commons in
miniature. 1t consists of some eighty
members drawn in proportion from all
parties in the house; it sits usually
from 1130 a. m. till close to 2:45 D. m
at which hour the house opens it's sit
ungs, although it's sitting may, with
the permission Of the house, be pro-
longed longer.
The grand committee system which
was not lnaugurated until few years
ago, is one of the first rational steps
taken by the imperial parliament to
the devolution of business and the re-
lief of congestion in the imperial par
lament. The system has worked ad-
mirably, partly, Of course, because tho
bills sent to the grand committees are
usually of a character that do not
raise ordinary party issues, the party
spirit is usually absent from it's
speeches and debates and the system
mas done very we'll on the whole.
Government Bill is Bold.
1t was to such committee that the
fate of the copyright bill was en-
trusted. The bill of the government il