The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1913-01-18 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

IMPERIAL UNITY AND MR. BONAR  LAW.  In the concluding sentences of this soul. stirring oration, the noble lord thumped the Imperial drum with a resounding thwack. "Imperial unity," he said, "mast he the watchword and the aim and object of all our Imperial eAdeavouiva'' It Was a Jae phrase, was "Imperial unity." But as interpreted in the sphere of practical politics by the noble lord's leader it was little more than a convenient haycock behind which the Tory party sought shelter against the fierce blasts of internal discord (hear, hear). If by unity was meant closer co-operation in the handling of the grave Problems of Imperial defence and Imperial responsibilities, not only between the Mother Country and the self-governing Dominions, but as affecting the duties of the race towards the millions in Asia and in Africa, then he (Mr. Morel) claimed that the present Liberal Government had progressed nearer to that ideal than any of its predecessors (loud applause). And he claimed further that the relations between the Mother Country and the Dominions had never been so continuous and so free as they had become under this Liberal Government (applause). But if by unity was meant that the Dominions were to be entitled to decide whether the food and the raw materials we imported into this country were to be taxed or not—to refer to the most astounding of all the somersaults the leaders of the Tory party had performed since they became inoculated with the Birmingham virus (laughter): if by unity was meant—to refer to another proposition of the noble lord's leader—that Toryism, having  MESMERISED THE Barrisa PEOPLE Into swallowing Protection, deliberately refused to grant it to Indian manufactures, although loudly proclaiming belief that it would be for India's good, because forsooth it seemed that we had rendered certain services to India and were entitled, OR that account, to maintain a free market for our goods—as though India had not rendered service to us !—if that was their conception of Imperial unity, and if they were ever in a position to apply it, the consequence would be such as one might anticipate from a union between those twin spirits of evil, folly and ignorance—folly, which WRS obstinately blind to the real needs of the hour: ignorance, which was "livi°u6 to the teachings of history (loud applause). "We believe," declared the great 4)"ritaltette sPoetle of Protection the other . the 31°ruing Post, "that the Unionist party can win the next General Election ttpon the cry of Imperial Union." Tee; it was much on these lines that George lII* Lord North, and the Tory hosts of that day argued. They won in the sense that they got their disastrous way, despite Burke's efforts. But their victory led to a murderous war, which ended in the loss of the American Colonies (hear. he"). Deadlier seeds of discord between the people of Britain and the people of the Colonies could not be eown than these which the Tory Party wee prepared so recklessly to scatter. And as for their proposed treatment of India and its plea of justification. it was a revival of the old Raman oonception of 241. tre, totally opposed to all modern ideas (1, Parisi duty towards protected peoples. and Peartraying an ottitude of mind which, were it tranalated into action, would render the peaceful government of India well-nigh impossible (loud applauee).