Mr. Asquith on Friday week addressed the little group of
Independent Liberal Members. Rather incautiously, he told them that they were as weak irinumbers as the Foxites of 1796— who were doomed to impotence for a generation—or the Peelites of 1847, who soon ceased to be a separate party. Mr. Asquith assured his followers that they need not despair. The General Election had been an "artificial business," producing " a top- heavy structure resting upon foundations of sand" He applied to the Coalition Liberals Lord Essex's description of himself and his fellow-courtiers as being "forced like the waterman to look one way and row another." Mr. Asquith admitted that the Army must be maintained in strength to reap the fruits of victory, but rebuked the Government for heedlessly promising last December to abolish Conscription when they should have known better. He condemned the Government's dealings with Ireland, and demanded immediate Home Rule, but he did not mention Ulster. He ridiculed the " minatory round-robins " with which Mr. Lloyd George had been bombarded. The most definite part of a lively speech was his denunciation of the extravagance characterizing " the reign of the supermen." " A strong Treasury, presided over by a Chancellor who will stand no non- sense, is the only effective security." The doctrine is excellent. But Mr. Asquith, who allowed Me. Lloyd George to demoralize the Treasury befor the war, is not exactly the statesman to preach from this text.
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