ESTER'S POSITION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1983, 13 February 1914, Page 7

ESTER'S POSITION.

SHE MAY BE WON.

BUT MUST NOT BE FORCED.

HOME RULE ISSUE.

ELOQUENT SPEECH BY SIRE. CARSON

By o?elecraph-Pres3 Assoelation-Ooiiyrieiit

(See. February 12, 11.40 p.m.)

c- t i r.- Unt, °H< February 12. oir John Simon, Attorney-General, resumed the debate on the Address-in-Heply Hβ contrasted Mr. Asquith'e ? n <J Mr - Chamberlain's speeches. The laUer, he said, was not conciliatory. bir Ivdward Carson accused the Government of manoeuvring for position, ■tney should have immediately introduced an amending Bill, eaibodving concrete proposals.' He .said the "exclusion of Ulster was not opposed to thei fundamental prin.cip.ka of the Bill, u \t offered to. put an end, to Ulster's resistance, but the Ulster Unionists woufei H O t take responsibility for the iiJll,. which would hand tho Unionists «i the south-west of Ireland to the tender mercies of their enemies. If exclusion were offered, he would go to Ulster immediately and take counsel with, the people. "I don't mean that Ulster should be mado a- pawn in any political game," lie continued. "There are only, two ways to deal with Ulster. She cannot be bought, and will not allow herself to be sold. You nrnst force her, Oft by showing that good government under Home Rale is possible, try and Kl }}J m ? V6T " (Liberal cheers.) ltioii, facing Mr. Redmond, Sir Edward said: "Ycm gain nothing by coercion. One false step in relation to Ulster trill render settlement -impossible. I tell/tlie Government, ami tell the Wattonalists, my follow-eountry-meM, that they never tried to win over lister—never tried to understand ulster's position. If you want Ulster, Cα, take her. Go and win her. But .von don't want her affccSons, you want her taxfls."

Sir Edward Carson concluded: "Itis not my fault if resistance is necessary, but, on my conscience, I shall not refuse to join it." (Prolonged Unionist ehe*rs.) Sir. John Redmond (the Nationalist Leader) said that there wero passages m Sir Edward Carson's speech which deeply moved him, though ho protested against the gross imputation that the Nationalists wanted Ulster's taxes. Tho idoa of conflict .was hateful to them. They did not want the. new system to start with the terrible handicap of conflr-jt, Ho accepted, however, the bow situation, arising; from the Proinier taking the initiative in making suggestions, though personally 'he thought the responsibilHy for the, initiative, might fairly haVo been left to the Opposition. Tho suggestion that 'the problem can bo solved by oxduding tho counties of Antrim, Down, Armagh, aiid Derry was utterly ridiculous and impossible..

Mr. J. R. Clynes (Labour) remarked that when every argument.had failed, tho Opposition had fallen hack on armed resistance of tho hur. Whnt (ho aslced> would be tlie position for the industrial iiihabitanfs of the groat towns 'if men wero drilled to resist tho Crmvn and , tl'o Gnvovnmont bpcSHso , a Right to "Worfc Bill was denied them ?

Lord Hugh Ccoi! -urged tho retecttdwm oir' Home Rule.

Mr. Birrell (Chief Secretary for Irehind) pnid a tribute to the force and clon'ietico of Sir Edward Carson's speech, which proved that if ho hated Home Rule lie loml his country more. They were (lie said) approaching neater to peace when Sir Edward Carson admitted that the exclusion of_ Ulster would set rid of the fear of civil war.

Mr. LloycMjieorao. (Chancellor of t];o Exchequer) said that Sir Edward Carson's speech entranced the House when ho appealed to tli© Nationalists to win Ulster. It suggested the prospect of co-operation in the government of Ireland, and created absolutely a new situation. It constituted an element which the (•rovonimont would have fe take into account, Tho OoTcrninent belioycd that the safeguards mado it impossible for Ulster to suffer, but Ulster, did not think aoj and tho. Government was prepared to gti to any limits consistent with tho principles of the Bill to allay legitimate fears. But it eotild not, and Would iiot, betray the majority of Irishmen, who trusted tho' Government. If, after everything had fioen dono to allay Ulster's legitimate fears, the Government quailed before threats of violence, it would violate its trust. Tho Government submitted its proposals upon its own responsibility, but the- responsibility of aceepiaHce or rejection would bo with the Opposition,

Mr, Bonar Law- (Leader of the Opposition), in winding up the debate, pressed the Government for an immediate specific offer.. Hβ -urged +he exclusion of Ulster w a gowerai election, but wbb prepared to aewpt a referendum if th<? Government preferred. It Would bo no good to make an oflfcF of Home Rule within Homo Rule, and, if tlto Government continued its'present polices bloodshed would bo inevitable. Mr. Long's amendment, demanding that the Bill be submitted to the people, was. defeated, the voting being— For the amendment ...... 255 \ Against 333 Majority against .78 The O'Brienites (Independent Kaiionaiists) did not take part iu the division. Sir Clifford John Cory (Liberal member for St. Ives) did not take part in the division. There was no cross-voting, .but twelve Liberals were absent through illness. / ' Upwards of fifty amendments to the Addresss-in-Keply liavo been tabled in tho Houso of Commons.

IN THE HOUSE Of LORDS. VARIOUS VIEWS. London, February 11. Tho Duko of Portland, speaking in tho House of Lordii contributed a de-e-criptive speech «i tll&tor'B military ■proparatioiis, which ho had watched retently. Lord Lorebur.i (6x-Lord Chancellor) said tho time had come when the statjo of reticence regarding Home Rule ought to be abandoned and everybody should fidbmit Jiis views. Ho declafcd that tiie reference in the .King's Speech to the gravity of the situation was a courageous and an honourable departure. He considered that dissolution did not offer a solution but merely postponed the. question. Tho Bill was good, but settlement by consent would be better. He believed that federalism would prove th-e solution of thn difficulty. Lord Lansdowne said that Mr. Asqiiith mid Lord Morloy's declaration of policy was too vague and unsubstantial. Plans must bo definitely formulated and submitted to the people-. The debato was adjourned. SIR. E. CARSON INTERVIEWED. Undosi, February 11. Sir Edward Carson, interviewed, said, "Mr. Asauitli's speech carries ue no v further. We ate simply, marking time.

Nothing has been said to induno Ulstermen to relax their proparatims."

PRAYER MEETING AT BELFAST, Untion, February il. n Jr r 1?- P ra >' er meeting was held in tho Wellington, Hall, BoH'ost, svjichrouisiug with the , assembling of Parliament. It was attended by members of nil acinoiuna.tio.us.

SYDNEY PRESS COMMENT,

Sytlnoy, February 12, Commenting on the Speech from the Jnroiiq and the Homo lltilo question, tho "Daily Telegraph," in a leader, says:—Mho experience of Australia, panada, So-it'i Africa, and Now Zealand fs that tho most gratifying result followed tho extension to tho people of complete control of loo.il affaire. Instead of a, weakening of the Empire and inspiring a desire for separation, it iiad strengthened the Imperial bond."

The position of the Homo Bulo controversy is specially interesting, The Government's Bill lias been passed in two successive! sessions by the House of Commons and rejeeted by the House of Lords. It now awaits the third presentation, and. even if rejected again by die Peers-, would then, by th* action of the Parliament Act, await the Sovereign's formal assent. In. the meantime, Lord Lurek-uru lias suggested the propriety of a conference between tho Government -and the leaders of the Opposition. Whether that will take place is uncertain at thc« lime of writing. Sir IMward .Carbon's strenuous campaign in Ulster; tho stern demand of Sir. Joliri Redmond that the Government shall go "full stoma ahead"; and the tentative suggestions of Mr. Churchi.ll—all these make the situation full of uncertainty. Supposing tho Heme Rule Bill became law in 1914, the steps that would follow arc indicated below.

Assuming that the Some Hale Bill, whieh has passed the Houso of Commons in tho two successive sessions of 1912 and 1913, again passes-its third reading in the House of Commons aext session, it would come under tho operations of the Pariia-. went Act, and receive. Koyal Ass&nt. This gives spesiiil interest to a forecast of events published % Mt> J. G. Swift MncNeifl, K.C.. M.P., who is not only a veteran Nationalist St.P., but nlso Professor of Constitutional Law in the National University of Ireland. "The very earliest date on -which the Royal iUscHt can. under these conditions, be given to tho Government of Ireland Bill will be (after its passing its third reading the third time in the House wf Commons) two years after May 9, 15)12, when it first passed'its second reading iii that House—that is to gay, May U, 19U—and after its subsequent rejection by the Hoase of Lords, whieh might bo ■approximately fixed in tlie first or soeoiitl week in June, IDU, Tho placing on. the Statute B;iok of tho Irish Government Bill rn Jtine, 1911. may he regarded as quite as certain as anything can, in human ailairs, bo eetteia. Friends and foes, of the Bill nliks consider that no obstacle, except, in Mr. Redmond's expressive phrase, a political earthquake, can bar its' achievement," writes Professor Swjft llacNeill. 'AsSuinug that the Bill will receive the Royal Assent next June, and that the s».ppointstl day be thfe day fixed in the Bill-. subject to alteration by Order-in-ComiciU it would eaine into operation us an' Act of Parliament on the second Tuesday i« February, 191:5. , . . the first great "step to bo taken after the appointed (fay must by the recoiistitutkns of Uve oiiieo of Lord-lieutenant of. Ireland. Under tho provisions of the Irish Government Bill the office of Ixsrd-I/ie-utenant vrilt ceap? to be a political appointment, mid will assume the character of a Governor-G-sneral of a dominion or colony under full responsible government'. . . . The first duty of the JLard-Lieufenant will bo to send for a statesman clearly designated by tho Irish' people to form a Cabinet, called in tho Bill 'The Executive Committee,' to aid and advise him in tho excrpiso of lijs executive poiwr in relation to Irish services, .The gentleman as : W to form a Cabinet will, as is tho practice in Great Britain, hnvo full liberty in tho selection of Ministers, subject ■ to the approval -if the lord-Lieuteuant, which it ,1R not. likely ~wou.ld in.,any instance be .withheld. Before, however, this formation of an Irish CaVinot, 'tHo iJepnrtmeiits,' especially the Irish Tveisnry, tnusfc be *stablislmd by the lord-lientenrtnt—-that is to stty, by the BritMi Cabinet, under ■wliosi? saiidion the Lord-Liautenant and il'" f'hjof Secretary would Slot'." Following these steps would come tho selection of the dfl members of the Senate, iho framing of Vesications for settiiijr in motion the Irish Pariigmont and Gorern. men!:, and the nrrancsnvevsts for nlection. Uiiou tk..first Kieetinjr of the Irish Parliament tlw members returnetl by cohRUtueneies in Jt'olnnd tn serve in the Parliamejit of tho United Kingdoia, and thoso sitting in that Parliament', shnil vacftfo their seats, and then 42 members shall lib returned from Ireland to tho House of Commons.

A correspondent Us forwarded a β-pecamfrn of the postage stamp to be issued by tile Ulster "l'revisienal Government" if tlio Homo Rule Bill is passed into lipv. Vhe stamp, which was designed by a Donegal lady, Mrs* Ketttmvcll, is a .neat unostentatious imxhlctum, mill bears, besides the National Goat of Arms, the inscription: "Patriots maintain, tho Union." Writing of the preparations for the struggle, ot : iy 'correspondent states: "Nethiftg has been left to cliaiiee. Ladies are ft.uali.fyine for post office work in all branches, whiles others are making themselves perfect in ambulance work. Nearly every residence is welj stocked with arms and aminuriiticra, and ladies iu England are jn-eparinj? to receive women and children irrespective of -creed or politics iu time of war."