New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-28
STATESMEN pERPLEXED
BY KNOTS OF EMPIRE
Sir Joseph Ward and Premier
Fisher Find the Conference
Cool to Ideas.
HOME POLITICS CLEARING
Outlook in Lords Is More
Serene, but Clash Is Expect
ed When Home Rule
Comes Up.

London. Nav 21.-The mellowing e1ec'
Of London hospitality and loyalty is aP-
parent already in the conduct Oh 'n'
colonial premiers Sir Joseph "aro
constructive policy Of imperial federa-
ton has been coldly received by MS COL
leagues. because neither Prime Minister
Asouith nor Mr.. Harcourt was prepared
10 consider II.
Premier Fisher left Australia with the
determination 10 smash up the Deciara-
zion of London. Sir Edward Grey, the
Foreign Secretary, Premier Asqulth ana
other ministers have succeeded in modi-
fving his views on important points, so
that the Declaration may escape censure'
Mr.. Fisher is not so great personality
as Mr.. Deakin was in the last con-
ference. nor does he command the sup
mort Of his colleague from New Zealand
or Sir Wifrid Laurier. Both are great
men in the conference, and instead Of
beine Jealous of each other are warm
friends and think alike regarding colo
NAL policies.
ing. There is no longer any propa-
bility of rejecting the Parliament Dill
on second reading on Monday. ana
while the committee stage Will be
deferred until July, strong pressure
already has been brought to bear
upon Lord Lansdowne, Lord Curzon
and other leaders to allow il 10 pass
without amendment. except an add
tional clause providing that all meas
,res of a grave constitutional nature or
relating to questions Of electoral suffrage
shall be sanctioned by special referen-
dun before becoming laws.
Old Tories contend that the Prime Min
lister could not demand the creation OF
five hundred peers for the express pur-
pose of defeating that clause. The Rad>-
calls answer defiantly that he would 90
II because the clause was not submitted
to the country with the Parliament bill
last December
A compromise cannot be based upon
the referendum-frst, because the min
listers have no faith in it as constitu-
tional expedient. and. second, because
Mr.. Redmond will not consent 10 have
Home Rule decided by popular vote.
While il is likely that the Tory peers
will make a final stand for clause Of
this kind. they have no idea of carrying
their resistance TO the point Of challeng-
ing the creation of peers.
The hest I'nionist tacticians admit that
constitutional issues have done them in
calculable harm. and want to jettison
them and tighten ship They assert that
the coalition Will break up after the
passage Of the Parliament bill, and that
il will be impossible for Messrs. Asquith
and Redmond TO agree upon a financial
basis of Home Rule.
A.ready there are signs of dissausfac-
ton among the Labor members over the
Osborne judgment bill, which does no;
make contributions Of trade unions to
political funds compulsory. and this is 4
foretaste of the partisan resentment
which will be aroused when Gladstonian
Home Rule is made over and Mr.. Asquth
is dealing with the taxing power of Ire
land and Mr. Redmond is trying TO pa-
cate the North and South of Ireland
Unionists aye confident that crisis will
arise over the Home Rule bill next year
il the Parliament bill be passed in cor
onation year without the creation of
peers and without untimely interruption
OF the national rejoicing.