28 DECEMBER 1912, Page 11

[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR.'] SIR,—" Finally, Mr.

Law said that if he were asked why the tariff as agreed upon in the Conference could not be sub- mitted to a Referendum, his answer was that it would be unfair to the Colonies. They would be bound; we should go free" (Spectator, December 21st, 1912, p. 1045). But surely it would not be unfair if it were clearly understood in advance of the proposed Conference that neither side should be bound by any tariff plan which might emerge from it until after ratification, such ratification in the case of the Colonies to be by their Parliamentary action or by Referendum, or both, as they may respectively determine, and in the case of the Mother Country both by Parliament and by Referendum.—