The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-12-09
.GREYS SPEECH
INTERESTS ENGLAND
Accepted as Satisfactory by the
Country Because of its Stern
Dignity.
Uneasy Feeling Prevalent That the
Same Danger May Again be
Precipitated.
The Passage of the Insurance Bill
Through Parliament is Now
Assured.

| This week like its immediate prede-
cessor was stormy at the start and in
decisive at the end. Sir Edward Grey's
speech was accepted as satisfactory by
the country generally because of it's
stern dignity in the face of Germany.
1t is backed also by the tories for the
same reason. says Il. p. O'Connor III
his London message OF Dec. 2 to the
Chicago Tribune.
But it has not yet carried with 1t
the assent of the radical wing of his
own party. The radicals still hesitate
France as to drag England into all
possible continental complications, and
still regret that the tone of Grey's
speech was so stiff and even ungraci-
Gus to Germany.
If Grey had been q tory minister the
radicals undoubtedly would have at
| luSnCu liiii, oii6 pCi Sollii
position, the palpable necessity of the
liberals standing together to confront
Home Rule and the other gigantic tasks
OF the next three years and the dread
o: displaying any national assures in
the face of such national perils held
them back.
Ci,,E L n f,,t
ther weakened in radical eyes by the
news of Russa's performances in Per
sia and Grey's apparent acquiescence,
If not approval, of the design of Rus
sia to break up the independence Of
Persia, and everywhere there is an un-
easy feeling that the state of exaspcra-
tion between Germany and England
may again bring the countries as close
to war as they undoubtedly were dur
ing the fateful days of last July.
Two More By-EIections.
But again the same considerations
that saved Grey from a serious attack
OIL the German policy will keep back
any serious attack on the Persian pol
ICY In the meantime two more by
elections made necessary by death and
promotions of the Scotch members of
government will once more expose the
! liberals to peril.
Another defeat, following those in
Oldham and Somerset, might produce
Il
ranks, but fortunately the coming by
elections take place In strongly liberal
constituencies and unless there be COM
pllcations by labor candidates. the lib
erals will easily win.
But the tories undoubtedly are in
better spirits and are fighting more
vigorously than at any time in sew
eral years.
The insurance bill now is secure of
passage through parliament, Chancel-
lor Lloyd George having overcome all
of the opposition and the tories being
divided as to tactics.
The democratic wing Of the tories
still shrink from any action which will
enable the liberals to gibbet them as
enemies to the bestowal Of its benefits
tc the working classes, and while some
Of the tory organs, like the Daily Mail.
conduct fierce campaign against GER
tain provisions Of the bill, other tory
organs strongly dissuade the tories
from active opposition.
To Propose Hostile Amendment.
This indecison reveals itself among
the tory leaders who, while not oppos-
ing the third reading of the bill We'd
nesday will propose a hostile amend
ment, accepting the principle, but de-
nouncing the details of the bill.
And they will even more violently
denounce the drastic closure under
which the bill has been carried. What
influence on the elections the bill will
have when 1t is passed into a law re-
mains to be seen. Nobody agrees even
for the moment Lloyd George remains
the central figure of the stage. having
accomplished the most difficult feat of
reconciling thousands of conflicting in
terests ever performed in English poll
tics.
II The Home Rule committee of the
cabinet is working steadily on the