Apart from these considerations we are by no means satisfied
that the Chamberlain-Smithite section of the Unionists will be in the least placated by Mr. Balfour's action. If it had been arranged with them that they should in the course of the Vote of Censure debate return to the fold and reaccept Mr. Balfour's leadership, in fact as well as in name, no doubt the vote would be amply justified. It is clear, how- ever, that they mean to do no such thing, and that therefore the debate will not really heal the wound in the party. In our opinion the stronger, and therefore the wiser, thing for Mr. Balfour to have done would have been to say : " Much as the Government deserve censure, we cannot deal with them till the party is reunited, and the party can only be re- united by the acceptance of the advice tendered to them by their leaders." However, the vote having been decided upon we can only hope that no harm will come of it, and that it will not deflect the minds of the bulk of the Unionist Party from the real issue, which is to prevent national interests and also the interests of the cause of the Union being gravely com- promised by the partisan fury of the Chamberlain-Smithite movement.
Previous page
