The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-03-29
Recent Election Revives Strife and
Injects Discord Into
Tory Ranks.
Believed That Plan is to Eventually
Allow the Issue to Completely
Disappear.
Liberal Leadership Receives Momen-
tary Shock-Situatlon Clear
ing, However.

The election Of u representative
from Kendall in the English parlia-
mcnt has renewed the struggle be-
tween the free fooders' and the
food takers" in the unionist party.
The position taken by the leaders of
the tory ranks has led some OF the
liberals to believe that the tories are
working for the disappearance of pro-
lection and the Chamberlain influ-
ence. 1t is admitted that owing to
the length OF time the tories have
committed themselves to the policy
of protection the change will have to
come about by q slow and gradual
process and will be energetically op-
posed by the hackers OF the Cham
berlain policy. This is the view OF
T. p. O'Connor who, in special cable
to the Chicago Tribune under a Lon
don date Of March %, sums up the
situation as follows:
Revelation to Liberals.
In the midst of this blazing sun
shine Of liberal strength aid tory de-
crepitude, a thundercloud burst on
the liberal position in the revelation
for the first time during the trial
againstathe Paris Newspaper. LIE Mat
in, that Attorney General sIsaacs,
Chancellor of 'he Exchequer Lloyd
George and Captain A. c. Murray, re-
Gently the chief liberal whip, had
bought shares of the American Mar
conf company.
At first, while panic spread among
the liberal and even Irish ranks, it
seemed possible that the two greatest
figures in the liberal leadership would
have to retire with the possibility Of
dragging down the whole ministry in
their fall. But when the full evidence
of the refusal of Sir Rufus Isaacs was
read and digested, IL much less tragic
view was taken of the situation.
Everybody realized that the Amer
lean company is quite Independent of
the English company, that the Amer
lean company's fortunes in no way
hang on the governments contract to
the English company, and that the
whole transaction revealed such al
most childlike innocence as to its
palpable honesty, it is told. this rcve-
lation, instead of confirming, gives
final disproof of the real charge
brought against the government men,
bers that they had dabblcd in the
English companys shares with the
foreknowled2e of a valuable govern
nent contract. The speculation in
American shares did not begin till all
the world knew that the English COM
pany had received the contract
Criticism Aroused.
The one criticism uttered equally
by liberals hnd tories is the foolish
ness of the postponement of this reve-
1ation until such late hour, and
everybody thinks that this same
revelation. made earlier, would have
blown the whole plot Of calumnv
against Sir R"fus and Lloyd George
into the air The whole business
promises TO end quite satisfactorily
and without the least risk Of enforc-
ing any designations. Even London
tory journals. notably the Times
takes a moderate and even friendly
view OF the transaction, but the gut
ter tory journals undoubtedly have a
new flip for a campaign.
Mr. Bonar Law. by questions in the
House Of Commons, surprised every.
body by revealing his determination
to take up this miserable weapon tc
fight the governments renewal of the
investigation by the Marconi commit.
tee of the House Of Commons.
The appearance again on the wit.
ness stand of tory journalists and tl1e
appearance also before the committee
Of Sir Rufus Isaacs and Mr.. Lloyt
George will keep things going 70,
some time to come. The inquiry mus,
end in the complete acquittal of thu
accused ministers and reputation O,
all charges of corruption, but the in.
cident. though not disastrous, is awk.
ward, and is the first bad bit of lucl
which has caught the present minis