For ourselves, we suspect that Mr. Asquith is still simply
playing for a better position. We cannot help saying, however, that the lateness of the hour makes such play extraordinarily dangerous. It would be excusable in a leader of the Opposition who has not got the issue of peace or civil war in his hands, but it seems to us not excusable in the Prime Minister. We do not wish, however, to say anything that might seem unnecessarily censorious, much less anything that would tend to impede a settlement, for frankly we do not feel complete confidence in our interpretation of Mr. Asquith's speech. It is one of those speeches, of which Mr. Asquith is a past master, which seem verbally as clear as daylight but which, on studious examination, are found to be quite ambiguous. We must wait therefore till next week to see whether the Unionist readings of the speech are accepted by the Government as representing its real sense. This is a case in which the manner of receiving and meeting criticism will be an indispensable element in the process of interpretation.
