We have dealt elsewhere with what we hold should be
done by the House of Lords in the last resort, but may note here the very significant movement in the Liberal Party in favour of Liberals being allowed, in the matter of the suggestions, to vote without pressure from the party Whips, and so in accordance with their own consciences. Under such condi- tions there would, we feel sure, be no decision of the House of Commons in favour of bloodshed and civil war. If it is suggested that what is sauce for the goose must also be sauce for the gander, we may say we are certain that the Unionist leaders would promptly agree to their Whips also being taken off in regard to the suggestions, and thus the whole House would be left absolutely free to decide on the two vital problems : (1) The area over which the Bill is to be operative, and (2) the nature of the time-limit. The manner in whit* the Government meet the demand for a conscience clause in respect of civil war will afford a very good indication of their sincerity, and of whether they are speaking the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, when they say there has been no binding agreement with the Nationalists, in writing or otherwise.
