Even worse is it with the parlia-montanans from whom, in justice be it said, newspapers must take a large part of their colour. Labour leaders sit in conference and condemn, yet unborn, the—"conscription" which they are pleased to sev Mr. Asquith's very modest scheme for the compulsory service of unmarried men*; and the bogey of Nationalist and' Ulster disunion is once more paraded openly in the House. One docs not hear of these divisions in the Irish regiments fighting so gallantly under Britian's standard; and the issue of the Merthyr Borough by - election. fought while the passion of the South Wales coal strike was yet glowing, suggests that Labour leaders and Ixbouring men are poles asunder in their real thought.
What effect this squabbling has upon the conduct of the war it would be absurdly pretentious to try to decide. But to it one may, perla attribute one feeling which one re. marks in all classes, so far as many conversations with men of many occupations are any guide; namely, that the nation as whole is ready and anxious to go to greater lengths and use far sterner measures than the Government appears ready to propose. Whether the Government's conduct of the war has been series of gross blunders; brave and by no means unsuccessful grappling with such odds as no living power could have faced without occasional reverse; whether Mr.
Asquith is a consummate statesman controlling infinitely diverse rents of desire with infinite ability; or a common self-secker intent only on clinging to office—these are questions of which history al fror
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.