The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-25

London, July 24.-Formal announce sncnt that the Buckingham palace con- ference on home rule could not bridge the narrow difficulties which separ- ntcd the Uisterites and the nationaiists on the Irish home rule bill was made to King George today by the speaker of the House of Commons, the Right Hon. James Lowther, and to the house itself by Premier Asquith.
 While the failure of the Kings at tempt to bring about compromise was well known Wednesday the fact that the party leaders continued to discuss the question at issue kindled faint hope throughout the country that the deadlock might yet be broken. The definite fall of the curtain on the mon- arch's plan to bring face to face the men who are most responsible for the present national crisis leaves the coun try in mood of deepest pessimism.
 No Predictions Made
 No one attempts to predict what the next step may be. No one sees any possibility of settlement of the dis pute unless it be by the government appealing to a verdict of the country through a general election and such step would be considered generally not a compromise but surrender by Premier Asquiths cabinet.
 The information made by the premier was brief and unsfstisfying as to de- tails He said only; T have to inform the house that the conference sum moned by his majesty the King held four meetings, on the Fist. 22d, 2Sd and 24th of July, respectively. The possi- bility of defining an area to be ex- cluded from the operation of the gov ernment of Ireland bill was considered The conference being unable to agree, either in principle or in detail, upon such an area, brought It's proceedings to a conclusion. A report was drawn up by the speaker the chairman of tho conference and presented to his majesty the King.
 Mir Asquith added only that the amending bill, which the House of Lords recently returned to the House ot Commons, would be taken up next Wednesday.
 Deadlock Was Firm
 The brevity of the conference indicates how firm the deadlock was The usual official secrecy was maintained but ap- parently the secrets have been dissem- mated through a widening circle.
 Seemingly Sir Edward Carson and Cap tain Craig insisted on their constantly proclaimed "clean cut of the whole of Ulster from the proposed Dublin govern ment The natonalists represented by
 
 willing, 1t is believed, to concede the exclusion of Listers counties by popular vote, provided any of the counties exclud- ed were given the opportunity of voting for inclusion at a later date.
 Tyrone has been the bone of contention which neither side was willing to sur render. The House of Lords amending bill. which embodied the concessions the government is prepared to offer, will come before the House of. Commons Tuesday. The talk in the lobby of the House to- night was that the premier will say that the government is prepared to proceed with the amending bill in it's original form if he believes the House of Lords is prepared to receive it as a peace measure If not he will withdraw it and the home rule bill, unamended will be- come law and be presented to the King for his signature. The premier may then advise the King to dissolve Parliament and a general election would follow. The passage of the home rule bill without amendments excluding any part of Ire- land from it's provision would be the sig nal for Ulster to start its provisional government.
 Failure of the conference to settle the controversy has rekinded the hot debate over whether it ever should have been called The principal objection advanced against the conference is with regard to it's secrecy The labor party is angry because it had no part in the conference, whereas in Parliament it would have been given the opportunity to register its position on the disputed questions.
 The liberal newspapers continue to at tack King George for the part he took in the conference.