The Dominion. FRIDAY, MAY 1, 1914. MR. CHURCHILL'S OLIVE BRANCH

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2137, 1 May 1914, Page 6

The Dominion. FRIDAY, MAY 1, 1914. MR. CHURCHILL'S OLIVE BRANCH

Mr. Winston Cnt T ßCini.t, bafe held jpiifc another olivn branch to the Unionists in connection with the Honk l Hnlft controversy. It is uv he hoped that he will not follow it up, as he did a previous affer, by a call to linttle. Hi.<s latest anncmnccment has certainly thrown a gleam of hope on a situation which had heeome almost desperate, and both Sir Edward Cakson «ml Hβ. Bai.voi'i: show an indimition tu meet Mit. Chuiwjhtu. half way. Though the failure of former efforts to arrive at a peaeefnl settlement has given rise to a. widespread feding of'pessimism, there are si ill grounds'for hoping that tire leaders on both sides, with the help of those who can approach the question from a non-|iartisau point of view, will yet ho able to secsiro such a modification of I hi; present Home Huh , , .scheme as will remove the posHibitily of civil war. Early in March Mr. Asqimth proposed (hat, each of (he Ultter counties and county boroughs ;4vmiUl hr !}ft«i' She pwMtiß .of the Bill, to de-"*<lo by vets who

ther or not it- shall bo' 'excluded from the operations of the Bill for six years. Mil. .Redmond expressed his willingness to accept this wayoiit of thu tlifliculty, but dcdai'ed th'at it must bo regarded as "the very extremist limits of concession." ' Sir Edwakd Caksqn admitted that some advance had been mado by the .Prime Mitiistcr's scknowledgiiient of. tin; principle of exclusion, but he strong, ly objected to the six-year limit. Ik; stated that Ulster wanted tlic question settled now and for eve-,-, and did not.want "sentence of death, and a stay of. execution for six years." -Sines that time there hare boeu several important- dcvelopuieuts, and the state of feeling has been further embittered by the rnccij'ji Army crisis and the talk of sending troops to put down tho volunteer movement iii the North of Ireland. A day or two ago it looked as if tho gun-running incident must bring the long-drawn-out struggle to a climax; but- just when "people expected thai tho Government was about to adopt retaliatory measures " of an extreme fdnd, another surprise is sprung upon the nation by Mb. (JituHUHiu/s latest «)ffcr. ' Me. Churchill thinks that peace with honour is still .possible, and says the key tor a peaceful settlement 'is in Bin Edwakij Carson's hands. 1.1 Sir Edward would accept, the proposed safeguards for. Ulster, Mi:. CistJKCH'nx promised to us© his inI ilnence to make Ireland an. integral unit of a federal system that would transform the political situation. This is a-most important'announcement, as far as it goes, • though it is not quite clear whether-it has the endorsement of the Government. Mr. Asquith's comment on the offer was very guarded. , He said Mb. CHUR'CHiLfc was not speaking on behalf of the Government; but as regards the invitation to Sik E»xtah» (Jajjson to make an offer in the spirit indicated, be (Mr. Asquitw) heartily sympathised, The actual words usod by the two Ministers do nob indicate a great advance towards a peaceful solution; but the interpretation placed, iip-on them by those who should be ihi a pasition "to read between the lines seems .to point to the fact that the controversy has now entered upoii a new phase, the general opinion seems to be that M'.R. CHuiiciULi/s latest suggestion prachca-lly means that, Ulster'shall be excluded until a- federal system of government, has been established in tho United Kingdom. It is stated that Mb, Rediiosu (who has boefl in cop.sultatio.tt with the CaJsliiefc) will not agree to cxcltis'ioji, that many Liberal mmnbers are indignant, and that one-of the Libenil papers expresses dismay, while another wokomes tho offer. The prob- ■ ability of au early dissolution is also ■ being again discussed, the idea being that a Ministerial offer is about to , be made which, will make an appeal to the country inevitable. I Mn. CmmcitiLii's. declaration 'in 1 favour of-tho federal solution gives support to tho impression that a d'js-' solution is not far off, for it is al-' most inconceivable that tlio Govern-- \ rumb could wake the enornio-us | change in the constitution whkh the i cstabhshment of the- federal system' woukl involve- without a rofy definite mandate from .tho olofitors. Possibly, some-such systeai may be the I only way out oi the difficiiHv, Vut" that'does wot do away with the obli[gation of giving the people an opportunity of expftSising their opinion on the proposed.change. More-' ( over, the existing Ho'njo Rule scheme I was specially framed to meet" the case of Ireland. And was not intended.to be the first instalment of a- general system, of federal, government .for the United Kingdom. , It would toVβ to be radically alteiicd i to fflako it fit in with the fedora] proposals which Me. Chcrchim. eow and il the BilJ vvere so altered jt could not be- proceeded with under the Parliament Act, Mr. Asquith is in an exteemeb , awkward fix. If he gees straight on he is faced with tho pessibilifcy of civil war, and if he -nfekes any further oonccssioas to TJlsto-r he may lose the. support of the • Hationaiists, which would bring about the downfall of his Ministry. "In. any system of federalism each hi ' 'the self-governing parts must be treated alike, and this principle would have to be embodied in the first ins.tal--* rUent now befevo the country. It might also bo argued w.ith' much' force that owing to the racial S-nd religious differences between Ulster anct the rest of Ireland it ttoiil.d be just as ,reasonable to malsus Ulster ose of tiift federal States as to rat off Wales from England and give. it power to manage its own affa-ivs. The permanent exclusion of VMsv would bo strongly resistotl by tjic Nationalists, but to attempt to Ixn'-co Ulstcrmon at the bayonet's -point to came uaifcr the jvirisdietiqn of a Dublin Parliament Would so embitter the '.relationships between, iliem and the dominant party in' tvek.nd that thtt new regime would be- hampered from the outset with a- problem even more difficult and (JaugerI'Us than that which the Irish question has p.'cvidsd fof tho Imperial Government, The field of. battle would ho nan-owed, but the fight would probably become -more fieim