Although we hope for the return of Mr. Asquith, for
the Special and immediate reason that the House of Commons is greatly in need of this distinguished Parliamentarian with his cool analytical method, with his great knowledge of pro- cedure, with his high sense of the dignity of the House, and with his critical way of examining other people's finance, we must nevertheless protest against the almost irresponsible language which he allows himself to use about Ireland. He talks about the oppression and coercion of Ireland for all the world as though there were not any obligation upon those who rule to put down crime and to protect innocent people from assassination. If we were asked to express our feelings about Mr. Asquith in a sentence, we think we should say that though we hope he will be returned, we should not like his majority to be a very large one. For in this case he might be tempted to act as though he had a mandate without reser- vations. If he is elected, it will be because his supporters -ogard him as an " exceptional case " rather than because they admire his policy as a whole.
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