ULSTER'S BATTLE

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

ULSTER'S BATTLE

RIFT IN THE WAR

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DEBATE IN THE KOISI 01 ,

COMMCNS

MR. CHURCHILL'S OIIV*

BRANCH

By Telnrrapli-Prcss Aeaocialion-Copyri&Ut (Hec. April 30., 11.23 p.m.) tindqn, April 30. . In tho- House of OaMsnwms to-tluj- t-lio, debate was continued on Mr. Aiistcir Chamberlain's motion:—"That in view of the seriousness of tho Government's recently-contemplated naval and military movement agaiust Ulster, ami) in tho incompleteness and muamracy of Ministers' statements and tho Government's ftjiiuro to deal frankly ivith the situation, there anould be a full and impartial inquiry into all the circumstances."

A Flaming Scene. Tho House was crowded. Though tho motion was for a judicial inquiry, tii-o theino betatuo obscured in tho conciliatory speeches which were jnado towafdu a, compromiso on tko lilstor (juestiois. Both sides aedaimed. Mr. lialionr's speech. He spoko ■'for ninfty mimik's, 'J'lioro was a llitmiiig sveno and wmtbhil altcrfatiau behyecn Mi-. Ualfoitr and Mr. Cliurctijli, the former declaring that Mr. Chur-chill had lent himself to Apwa. tious which'iniglit easily have provok'wl bloodshed. Then tiio died away. Tlio i'riiue Atmistct (Air, A-squitii) made a statainont in regard to the otfor submitted by Jtr. Cburchiii to Sir Kdward Carson:—"Mr, Churchill," -said Mr. Aaqiiitli, "made the- oifer on bis own account, not on behatf of tlio Government. So far as he invited Sir liiiward Carson to junko aji offer in tho spirit indicated, I lieartily sympathise."

Mr. fiajfatir's spescft, Mr. A. J, tialfcur (Unionist), in the course of his speech, pictured tlic appalling disaster of civil war, and deplored tlio demoralising results which had already taken pfeioe. lio gladly recognised llr. Churchill's suggestion far peace, which ho would gladly accept, but they would not get Ulster to join llio rest of Ireland' unless they excluded her now. Ho dccltUed that a s6ttleniei.it would not mean any triumph for the Unionists or himself; ratta-, it meant ihe defeat of all thai he had striven for throughout his political life. It was ruin to his cherished dream that by removing all injustice and inequality in tlie south and in the' west of Ireland, Irishmen might cotno. to forget their ancient memories, and share in their common iiopes, their .loyalty, o.iul in their hevi-' tago of the United' Kingdom. It was no triumph to him.; it was the failure of his life's work that in order to avoid civil war ho had to submit to a separate Parliament in Iroimd,

"The Agent-Pravoeateur," Mr. Balfoiu , afc* tins juncture , creatorl a scene by referring to Mr. Churchill as the ngenfc-proTOCsteu;'. Mr. Chnrchill: "Provo it." Jlr. Jfalfour: "There k aniple proof in Mr. Churchill's speeches. Hβ is such a master of vituperation thqt ho is not entitled to tender treatment!". Mr ftonar Law: "Mr. Chursliill's peace suggestion 'was' made in art incongruous sotting, bufc the Opposition will give it fail , , lioiiGst "consideration."

Ulster leader's 'Warning, Sir Edward Ga.rsm-n (the Ulster Ijertj!or) begged the Ministerialists to beliovo that tiio '{JistorweJi woro not masquerading, but were ready to dio for their principles. The Government could put Ulster down, but if they conquered bar they would conquer her for something they themselves would l not give up. The* lesson the Ministerialists "" ought to learn was tire deSßerato reality of tlie. question they wero dealing with. Ho saw a glenm'of hope in Mr. Churcljili's violence, because ho (Mr, Churchfll) always assumed Win rolo of a demagogue when making an offer towards a settlement.

Continuing, Sir Edward Carsoa said that ho tool? full responsibility for the RUiM'iiiining. It *wa.s jsotliing npw; lie had said two and A half years ago, that Ulster would resist fored. He had ai<ready gone far towards meeting Mr. Churchill, wten he tad said that Ulster would not complain i£ the federal system irore iut-roclnceu in-Ireland as jvarfc of a federal system for tin? United Kingdom. In that case Ulster vroxM afii ecjhal treatment, and there would bo ifo moral justification For resistarien. He would also sa.v that, much- as ho tietested »nd : feared Horn© Rule, if is wero set Tip it would ho his earnest prayer that it might be sueh a success that Ulster itself would sflek to eomo in. , would never bo brotiglii-in forcibly.

In conclusion, Sir Edward Carson -deplored the present conditions of the sitiiaimn so miscli that ho did not belie ro that any taunts to himself .wonltl prevent, him'from seeking any rftasoualilc solntion which would prevent bloodshed. Ho would be jrktl "to sco a state of adnira arising in Ireland that would result in nivitnai , «?onliE!O!i&e and jrcosl-fi-ilf betwemi all parts, and all classes, and -lending to a stronger Ireland, as. a unit in a federal schema.

Prime Minister seorsful. Mr. Asquith scornfully alluded to the "flimsy, contemptible character" of the rase against tiie CTowrnnserit. H" had boon Kiminioned io answer allftcattons of almost Ikiiiclisli condiust. \N r hat was there to have a judicial inquiry into? Nothing but a marc's nest. tic had answered five hundred questions, and liad beeis creps-examined in a niann-er romiiiisct-nt of t\» worst, Old Bailey tnitlitfoiis. Ho rtoridetl the charge which was being made by- the Opposition, ivJiinli had compiawiUy tolerated a piratifnl adventuw. The sppfjohes of Mr. Ba'Sftuir asul Sir Edward 'Carson might prore to be a In ml marl; in tho history of tlio controversy, added the Prime Minister. It was impossible to listen to Mr. Balfour witlwrot pmotion. Heliad uwer liwrd in the House sn rcniarkitbloortnnehing an appeal as had ijiiit been made by tlio 0110 who for a lifetime had been a slrimwits and for* miilablo antagonist to Homo Rule. "Pdrprs which none, of hs cpn control have been too strons;" said tho Prfv* infer. "Sir. Bnlfour hnr TPco»Ti'ispil ■tint f'fotiiß Ru>c. of sonio kind is incvit.ablft." Cflitolndiiic. 111 , . .Asfjiiifli rJcrlnror? +lmt hf Cd<} (Tot th'ill; n sipttloinpnt. cnnW lip offpctod !>y bara:ainii's on tho ftoir of the Tffwso. A spttloniptit- nuist brine: cvoryhfidy in. If was no jwprVtl>inking that ihey 'cnulri spttTp +!io nnostion liphintl tlw briiiks of tlvp TJlstovmon or the rest if Trotand. It must I.w> bv nl! ronceriiptl. Up wplpomed Sir 'Edward Carson's lioiw. Hint Hnnin I?nip mi>llll possess mi ultimato aKraotbit for Pfjfpr. ITe bail novrr rlnspi), nnd wonld nnvpr nlono. iltc door in fl softlpnipnt until ho wi»s cowsppllnd by absoItitf , i'n'.ri} of pirpninstnnpps. Jlr. nmml>orlii>.n's motion was rpjMe«d bv :i-M votes tn 20-1.

our , was possible-iif Sir Kilu-ard ■ Cniwn wtmlil .'-ay. ; iii'klly : "Givu ini> alni'nd-nii'iil.--'-I 'ii.-.!; ! I'm- V'siJVj;ii;ird to l'n>t<*tiiiil. UMpr. ."Kviji-yoDc." said Mr. Cliureliill, "ivmild In' fmiml roady (o rfccimsitPiui his division :ini! save us" i'lom thu evils for which *(im-. cliildivn would hold us i\i:(:uontiiUe.".. ,?: ; ■ ■ ■

NO MOfiE.REPUES TO QUESTIONS. ■ ■yiI.VJRTKH.S CIiOSK DOWN ON "',,■ Vv , v n,s r i'Ku iNQiM«uis.::v- : . ■■■■■ ■'' Mr. ■CiiHiclsiil, replying to further ouestions regarding tho iiiovi'iiuMita of fiu; fleet, against. Ulstw, said LliiiL qiiiU' cnmivch inloraiulioii Iwd hevn givi'ti on that'subjeet, mill hi! was not ga\ug l<) give- any more. Mr, Asqiiilh, questioned respect inj; furtliiT |>aiio.ra about Ulster, said tli:>.tthe (jovuruiiieiit was not going lo issue any more, or after this week answer any more questions-

COMMENT ON MR. CHURCHILL'S PEACE OFFER. JIANY LIBERALS INDIGNANT. . tontfon, April 20. The Govennnenf/'s non-adoption of Wfcaliiiiory lnoiisures in connection irith tho gun-rnniiing is attributed to Nationalist persuasion. Sir.' llcdiuom],. :iilorvic\vcd, said:— "If Sir Edward Carson docs what Mr. Cliiirchill suggests, 1 slmtl <;nde-av<mr to effect tin liQitfuifiibie settlement." Captain Craig (Unionist), interviewed, Enid;—"Mr! OinireliiU's is tlw luost, important, advance in tho direction of pence yet made." Main- Libernls arc. indignant at Mr. Chnrch'ill's ou>!' ; wliieli is Inku'pretcd ;ih cscia»iou of Ufskir mUi) the United Kingdom -is Foderalised. Tho "Daily Chronicle" (Lihcrftl) says the offer liiis caust?d clisHiay ; it has i«oro an air of weakness than of wagun-nimii-y. Tie "Westminster Gazette , ' (Liberal) wsicomc-s the offer. The "Mwiclicsler Uuar/liau" (Lihcral) is iinfavotirablo to the tffor. Tlio "tiverijnol Tost" says tliafc liibcr.il- Al.T.'.s ihts lic-tviidcTOl : they tspoctaS tiw annotmcemiMit of tlrantic monstiVKi in6tp;ift of the Government's fresh suggestions of jk-.U'c.

BELFAST mWKEftS SUPPORT ULSTER. (Ilec. Slay I, 0,30 a.m.) . Umdon, 'April 30. Ton thousand trade unionists in Belfast luivo passed a resolution condemn- I ing tlio English Labour leaders for their support of the Homo Bu!o Bill, nJul supporting Sir Edward 'Carson's policy. HELP FROM CANADA, (ltoe. April 30, 10.30 p.m.) Ottawa, April 29. Tlie Right Hon. Mr. Walter '. Long (Unionist)",'has cabled that tho Canadian Unionists and Orangemen will help financially, to fight against Homo Rale. WARSHIPS MUSitfllNG, ' Ur.don, April 29. There ere uoiv eleven warsiiips in Belfast Lough. Trio Union Jack on ihe. Ulster volunteer signalling station saluted a cruiser aw] ten destroyers as they v«o entering Belfast Lough. The flotilla replied, "'i'bank you."