THE NEW RULE IN IRELAND.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2777, 23 May 1916, Page 6

THE NEW RULE IN IRELAND.

SETTLEMENT BY COMPROMISE

QUESTION DISCUSSED By Telesr.raDh—Press Association—CoDyricht London, May 21. The "Observer" •comments on the successful resumption of the conference held at Buckingham Palace' in'l9M. Settlement by consent, it,says, would 'mean • the test day in Ireland's history. It is believed that the Nationalists are prepared to make larger concessions, perfepa to tho extent of provisionally excluding all Ulster in return, for immediate Home Kule, and the rest "of Ireland is combined in some arrangement under Ulster, management of common Irish affairs in a manner calculated to promote in a few years complete reunion. ; The "Observer" asks, whether, in the event of all Ulster being provisionally excluded, Sir Edward Carson and his friends cannot agree at the outset to a joint session with tho remainder of Ireland, meeting alternately in. Dublin and Belfast to discuss common. affairs., It predicts that on such terms there would be within a few years one Irish Parliament, one nation. " " The "News of the .World" states, regarding the exclusion of Ulster, that the only obstacle to agreementl'in 1914 was the exclusion or inclusion of Tyrone. . It has.now been suggested that Tyrone be partitioned between the" rival parties. There is good reason to believe that Mr; Asquith's plans will bo realisable if Mr.' Eedmond agrees to this. Sir Edward Carson possesses a masterly argument'to overcome all covenanters' objections'to an Irish Parliament. Sir Horace Plunket suggests that ; Ireland should bo put under a Commission, the more completely Irish the better, with wide powers, enabling her to secure effectiveness of decisions. The Commis. siou would open the way to a new and fully representative Government, until after tho war, when there could be a permanent settlement. The Commission should be a small body, with an Advisory Council co-operating. ■' " - THE BUCKINGHAM PALACE CONFERENCE SHOULD BE REOPENED. (Eec. May 22, IO.iO p.m.) London, May 22. The "Daiiy Mail" and "Daily Chronicle" advocate the reopening of the 1914 Buckingham Palace Conference', " on broader lines, to seek a settlement of the Irish' situaf'ou. THE I'RE-WAB CONFEKENGE. During the darkest hours of the Ulster crisis iu the few. short days before the looming European ivar cloud recalled the nation to the greater enemy without, King George, on his own initiative, summoned a conference of the Parlkmentary leaders at Buckingham Palace with a view; to arriving at a settlement. The;, delegates were;— Mr. Asquith and Mr. Lloyd, George' (Government), Lord Lansdowne and Mr. Bonar Law (Opposition), Mr. Bedc mond and Mr. Dilion (Nationalists), and Sir Edward Carson und Captain Craig (Irish Unionists), and on assembling were addressed 'by the.King as follows:— "It is with feelings of satisfaction and, hopefulness that I receive you, and I thank you for responding to the summons. It is a matter for congratulations that the speaker presides. My intervention at the moment may be regarded as a. iew departure, but tho ' exceptional circumstances justify my action. For months we have watched with deep misgivings the course of events in Ireland, the trend of wh'ich has heen surely and steadily to. wards an appeal to force, and to-day the cry of civil war is on the lips of the most responsible and sober-minded of my people. We ia the past have endeavoured to act as a civilising example to the world, and to me it is unthinkable, as it must be to vou, that we should be brought to the brink of fratricidal strife upon issues, apparently so capable of adjustment, as those you are now asked to consider, if handled in a. spirit of generous compromise. ,My apprehension in- contemplating such, a diro calamity is intensified by 1 myV feelings of . attachment : to Ireland, and my sympathy with her people, who haTe always .'welcomed me withi warm-hearted affection. ■ Gentlemen, you represent in one form' or another tho vast majority of my subjects at Home, and you also have the deep interest of the people of my Dominions oversea, who are scarcely less concerned in the • prompt and friendly settlement of .the question. I regard you in this matter as trustees for tlio honour and peace of 'all. Your responsibilities are indeed great. The time is short, and' you will, I know, employ it to the fullest ■ advantage, and be patient, earnest, and conciliatory in view of the magnitude of the interests at stake. I pray God in His infinite wisdom to guide your deliberations, sq that the result may be joy, peace'; and an honourable settlement." The proceedings were private, and the conference failed to arrive at any solution of ■ the Ulster crisis. County Tyrone was ihe stumbling-block of tho conference. . The..Nationalists , refused to agree to exclusion: - Tho'pointa at issue at the end of the conference were narrow. Ulster asked for the_ exclusion of nine counties, tho Nationalists freely offered four; both sides converged towards the exclusion ofsix;>'but the; Unionists' conditions and limitations-refused to accept the Nationalists