The Irish standard., 1911-01-21
ALL SIGNS POINT TO
MOMENTOUS SESSION
Ministers and Cabinet Councils
Gathering in London for the
Great Struggle.
Tory Organs, Ranged in Opposite
Camps, Fight With Character
istic Bitterness.
Redmond's Course Will be the Sub
ordination of Everything to
Home Rule.

llOlllc NulG.
Already all signs are pointing to tho
most momcn1ous session of pnrlia-
mcnt in many years. Most Of the
ministers already are in London and
the cabinet councils will come soon.
liminary skirmiShes, and the leaders
CT all parties will receive excellent.
although menacing counsels, from
these organs, says II. p. O'Connor in
| his cabled letter to the Chicago Trib
une OF Jan. Is.
The Liberal ministers already have
given notice that the Labortes and
Radicals will have no tinkering with
the question of the reform of the
House of Lords and that that ques
ton could not be taken without the
peril of splitting up the ranks of the
coalition.
The Laborites and Radicals are dead
against any proposed election of peers
ss calculated to increase the strength
OF that body. Their whole conception
ie that the House of Commons should
he the supreme arbiter of all legisla
ton and administration.
The members Of the ministry are
rather handicapped by the unfavor-
able preamble of their veto BILL set
ting forth the necessity and intention
10 reform the House of Lords This
preamble was inserted by Premier As
quith rather than to force the resig-
nation of Grey and Haldanc, but if
persisted in, it may produce disus-
trous results
| All sections of the coalition are so
intent on the common supreme pur.
pose of Gripping the lords by the veto
bill that difficulty will probably sur
round the question.
| Tory Papers Quarrel.
The Tories are divided on this, as
on everything else. The hothcads
still shrek for a fight to the bitter
end and for forcing the creation OF
new peers, relying on the imaginary
unwillingness of the king to consent
to such violent measures. These
hopes are false, as the king certainly
will follow the advice of ministers,
and the ministers certainly will create
the peers without hesitation if forced
to do so.
For the moment the differences Of
! the Tories occupy more space in the
! papers than the intentions of the min
istry. A. J. Balfour, feeling the strong
freak among his supporters, wrote Il
letter regarding legislation, but the
situation is growing worse.
Balfoura letter was ingenious. It
avoided all mention Of the referendum
for tariff reform. which is the real
rock of irrccOncilable difference be-.
tween him and the tariff rcformers.
On the other hand, it's antiquatcd
sophistry exposed him to the merci-
less criticism of the Liberals and at
this moment his prestige is lower than
1T almost any moment of his career.
The dispute over his leadership
ranges the Tory organs in opposite
camps and they are fighting each 9TH
or with characteristic bitterness. The
Daily Telegraph and Times and Gar
vim in the Observer all proclaim him
as the only possible leader and con.
tend that the pledge of referendum
must hold good. The Morning Post
Cmphatically denounces the referen
dunn and practically demands Bal.
four's supercession.
All of this will lead, ] believe, to a
final concentration of the Unionists
on the Home Rule fight and will en-.
able Balfour to satisfy his followers
with sham fight on the House OF
Lords.
Redmond's course in the coming
session is clear. All of the NATIONAL
iets are satisfied that everything
should be subordinated to Home Rule
There is violent Tory criticism on
Winston Churchill in connection with
the Stepeny battle, but Churchill re