THE HOME RULE SENSATION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3024, 10 March 1917, Page 10

THE HOME RULE SENSATION

I MORE ABOUT THE DEBATE ' DRAMATIC SCENE IN THE HOUSE VARIOUS OPINIONS ON THE CRISIS i : 'Further details of the debate on the /Irish question in tho House of Com- : - mons are to hand. .••■-■'■■ . L6ndon, March 8. • : :Y Mr. Eedmoud (tho Irish leader), in the courso of his speech; snid that the ■ Prime Minister's pronouncement would have a very bad effect on neutral coim- ,; tries, and would take the heart; out of the Irishmen fighting at the front. - The position in Ireland was serious. There were men there with influence and money who had combined in the enterprise of smashing the , c'onstitu- ■ tional movement. Mr. Lloyd George : was playing into their hands. The : Government had raised in Ireland an .issue which must be faced and decided. 'He would bo glad to see it decided by .-. every constituency in Ireland to-mor-row. The great issue was whether Iro- ■ land could still rely on constitutional action or should revert to the methods :'.. and ideals of revolution. Some men so bitterly hated Home Rule that they would God-speed revolution. If the movement disappeared Mr. Lloyd George would be forced to govern: Ireland with ,tho naked sword., When the Nationalist leaders attempted to effect a , settlement in July they took their political' lives into . their . "own hands. They had been betrayed. The Government should have brought .'.. forward proposals acceptable to the ■whole of Ireland. : ' An Ulster Unionist interjected: ■.'..''What do you mean?" • .Mr. Redmond: "What I mean is ,\ this:, Put the Home Rule Act into 'operation, with such additions and .amendments as time and altered oir.curastances . render necessary. - This debate necessitates the reconsideration of our position. It is absolutely futilo i for my colleagues ahdniysolf to continue the'debate. Therefore I appeal to my colleagues' to let the House do what it likps'with the resolution and, the amendment; (Loud Nationalist ; cheers.) I 'ask them not to ! remain t<l continue a futile, and humiliating debate. buU to withdraw and ■ take counsel with me as to the /next step we shall take." ' ..• ' ' .. . ■ This dramatic statement wa? ckliv-j : ered in passionate tones... The Nationalist memliers were greatly, excited and cheered Mr. Redmond to'tbe echo , wh»n. he left his seat. ... Some Nationalists angrily shopk their fists l at the. Treasury -bench, and. a . voice was heard above the-din, shouting "Hangman Ciirson. ■• HVis only fit to lie a hana;maiv instead "of First Lord of the Admiralty," The scene is , the most exciting since ; ; the war broke <int. and: caused an im- : mense sensatidn. '.'. ..■'*•' / '' • Further Discussion,' Colonel, Wardle said he regretted that tho Nationalists, had left the House without 1 awaiting tho result of tßejr own motion. He urgejl the' Government to find a way out of the present impasse. •.,-.*. . _■ Sir 'Henry Dalziel said the situation could not bo left as it was. He asked whether Mr. Lloyd Goorjre supported or opposed Mr. Asquith's suggestion, In order to enable the Prinie Ministtr to make a statement- he moved tho adjournment of the House. Mr. Llovd George said the Government could not briii'' in «. Bill in the middle, of the war when there was no :. -'guarantee that it would be acceptable to any party. It was tlie duty of ihe. Nationalists.to say whether they r'pailv meant to bnpose the measure." Until the Nationalists, indicated this it wow'rt be folly fortlm War Cabinet to ir.iro- . duco such a hiuhly controveraisl Pill, Mr. Redmond lind'evidpntlv mismuk-r----stood him. .Hβ had clearly st.'.-W thst Home RuK would be granted to am- . parfclearl,V*demaiidinc! it, but lie couM I Tiot enforce it whero it was repu«iianf. I Thorn were two ways of" scttlirir? the . details—either.by a ponferencp of Tri'limen or a commission practically the same in character as mentioned by Mr. Asquith. ('lt Ims been suggested thilt we bring in a Bill on tlmt- basis, but we cannot, in tho middle of a great war,. brinu in a Bill which mnv not he acceptable to any section until tho Nationalists indicate their attitude." ' ■■ . i

Sir Henry Dakiel withdrew his motion for adjournment, and the discussion was resumed.

_ Mr. Guest considered the Nationalists' withdrawal would gravely affect our conduct of tho war, and our position in Jfchb eyes of the world. He hoped.the Government would try for a. settlement on t v ho lines of Mr. Asquith's suggestion. ' Mr. Tim Healy said that, though he was an opponent of Mr. Redmond, ho considered the Empire owed, Mr. R.edjhond its best gratitude. If the War ■ Office had taken his advice, it would have had from two hundred to three hundred thousand troops, and no rebellious elements would have appeared. Ho taunted Mr. Redmond with arranging a play-acting coup* by quitting the House. Mr. Redmond' ought to havo provided something better. Neither he nor any Nationalist had offered a hand to Ulster since 1913. Instead they had postponed any suggestion of a settlement of Homo Rujo. Ireland would take his excursion from tho House at its proper measure.'. It.deserved after thirty years something better than a dramatic skedaddle from the House. Instead of • bringing Mr. Churchill's Hottentots and niggers . from Africa. England ought to try and win Ireland and America to its side of the war.-

The debate was adjourned. Immediately following their dramatic withdrawal, the Nationalists met in a committee room. The proceedings were brief, and no decision was arrived at, and the discussion was adjourned till Thursday, at noon. The result 'is awaited with the utmost interest.

Mr. Redmond was obviously) suffering from the effects of his illness. He spbkf with much difficulty. Members of all parties extended their svmpathy in the lobby and animatedly discussed the development. The nninion in some quarters is that a settlement is improbable, in view of the nresput tone of the temner of tho Nationalists. It is expected that no nrogress ivilj be achieved until the whole question is brought up for impartial consideration at the Imperial Conference.