NEWS OF THE WEEK.
IN home politics the situation remains virtually unchanged, though the tension has been rendered more acute by Mr. Lloyd George's unfortunate speech at Newcastle: On Tuesday the King gave audiences to Lord Lansdowne and Mr. Balfour, and subsequently to Mr. Asquith. These interviews have unloosed a flood of conjecture, for the most part sensational and unconvincing. The possibility of anything like intrigue is negatived by the publicity of the proceedings. For ourselves, we see no reason to modify the view expressed in our last issue. There has been no intervention, but the King has naturally availed himself of the opportunity of keeping himself informed as to the intentions of the Cabinet and the exact con- dition of the controversy with a view, if possible, of averting a. Constituional crisis. But we have no doubt that in summoning the leaders of the Opposition the King was acting on the advice of the Prime Minister The attempt to represent the King's action as an irregular inter- ference is as unwarranted as the effort to credit the Govern- ment with the deliberate intention to exploit the influence of the Throne for party ends. If there had been any ground for these rumours, we may be sure that neither Mr. Asquith nor Mr. Balfour would have left London.
