IRELAND'S FUTURE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16164, 19 March 1918, Page 7

IRELAND'S FUTURE.

NATIONALIST LEADER'S VIEWS. (IJt Cab'e. —Association.—Copyright.! (Australian an-i Ca'ole Association.) LONDON. March 17. Mr John Dillcn. the new leader oi■' the Nationa'.i-ts. replying to lnniskilling congratulations, -.ud that his first step would br to to!! England that her statesmen must co;is:- talking about a League ei Nation-. ;;nd pretending to b> carrying on a "war i'or the defence small nations unless she frees the nation •which had bc-on gioaning under her misgovernment for seven centuries. He liopod that within the n«:ct few days Ireland would be allov.vd to know tho result of the C.'Tftf-in ;cn. if a settlement wi-re not lvaehecl the blame must rest on tho members of a certain section of the Convention. If the Convention failod. the Irish question would assume a more i'ormithb'o shape. Mr Dillon asked the .Sinn Pernors to droo their dangerous bluff, and unite with their fellow-countrymen. It was futile to di:-cu.-s a possible Irish ropuhlic. ... During Mr Dn'ou's address the Hon. Sir Thema* Mackenzie, High Commissioner for Nov.- Zealand, was present. Mr J. H. Thomas (Labour member for Derby) said that, he refused to separata Irish men and Irish women from vhe great struggle in which this nation was now engaged. 'Che issues were so great nnd fundamental that no ' Englishman, Irishman, or Welshman could remain neutral. Ireland's future was involved, because unless the war was settled on a democratic basis' tho only alternative was an armed Europe, and an end to Nomocracy and frexloni. Speaking at the Irish Club, Sir Thomas Mackenzie said that ho had never been able to undorstand why the Dominions were, entruste 1 with tfie'management of their own affairs while the right was denied to Ireland.

RIOTS IN BELFAST. ' —— SINN FEINERS ATTACK POLICE. (Australian ud Ji.Z. Cable Aesociation.* (Received March 18tli, 10 p.m.) LONDON. March 18. ■ A collision between Sinn Fcincrs and the police at Belfast resulted in rioting on Saturday night. There were many casualties. The Sinn Feiners, with sticks, stono3, and lighted torchcs, attacked the police, who charged, using their batons. They also broko up a proclaimed meeting, at which Mr E. de Valera (M.P. for East Clare) was speaking.