The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1917. THE POSITION IN IRELAND

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 47, 19 November 1917, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1917. THE POSITION IN IRELAND

The occasional scraps of news which reach us concerning the stats of affairs in Ireland are of a very disquieting nature, and suggest the probability of further serious disturbances there. Yet the people of Ireland, apart from Ulster, were never nearer to the dearest wish of their hearts than they are to-day ■ if they choose to seize the opportunity offered them by Mr. Lloyd George. Those Irishmen who havo been so tirelessly agitating and fighting for Home Rule ' for so many years past havo self-govern-ment practically, within their grasp, and .yet they cannot como together in unity to decide amongst themselves tho details of the form of self-government agreeable to them. When 'the British Prime Minister declared his willingness to grant Ireland Home Rule if the people of Ireland could agree amongst themselves as to the framing of, a Constitution ho was ridiculed and attacked because it was considered impossible that Ulster | could be induced to sit in conven- j tion with the rest of the country. Then Ulster agreed to being represented at tho Convention, and Mr. Lloyd George pledged his Government unconditionally to confirm and ratify the particular form of Constitution which the Convention might frame and 'agree on. Ireland had never beforo had such an opportunity. It seemed at first that bo liberal, so generous, a proposal must satisfy and delight every Homo Ruler in tho country. Strange to say, it did nothing of the kind. Probably in their hearts tho great majority of tho moro intelligent of tho Homo Rulers realised the generous naturo of tho British Prime Minister's offer and undertaking; probably they appreciated the fact that at last practical means had been provided for enabling Ireland to secure the Home Rule she had striven for. But during tho past year or two, and more especially in recent months, tho irreconcilable element banded under tho title of Sinn Fein have developed a power and influence in Home Rulo Ireland that has paralysed the efforts of the Nationalist Party under Mr. Redmond and the moderate element under Mr. O'Biuen. Tho Sinn Peiners have demonstrated at recent elections that the Nationalists havo lost their hold on the country, for tho time being at least, and that the majority of the people are under the sway of these extremists, who refuse to take advantage of Mr. Lloyd George's offer and demand the right for Ireland to ally herself with Germany, or any other,

Power antagonistic to Britain, to open her ports to the encmv, and in short to. cut adrift entirely from the British Empire. The well-known Irish writer, the Rev. Canon Hannay, better known as "George A. Birmingham," in discussing the situation a month or two ago in an article in tho Daily Mail, stated the attitude of tho Sinn Feiners as follows:—

Sinn Fein refuses to take part in tlio Convention, and nsks that Ireland's future shall bo decided by the European Peace Congress when it meets. This is an odd demand from a party whoso watclnvord is "Ourselves—ourselves alono." . It is an appeal from the decision of a body of Irishmen to that of a mixed assembly of Englishmen, Pronchmen, Italians, Russians, Americans, JapaneGe, Serbians. Montenegrins, Portuguese, Rumanians, 'Germans, Austrian, Turks, Bulgarians, and perhaps others. Is this what Sinn Foin really wants? It is difficult to think so. . . .

Sinn Fein ought surely to consider whether it is wise to let Ireland's future depend on a game placed by astute foreigners. Our Convention, even if its constitution is not tho best possible, will at least consist of Irishmen.

,It is held by some authorities on Irish affairs that this point of view will ultimately appeal to the good sense of the moderate element of the Sinn Feiners themselves, and that if tho Convention produces a Constitution at all acceptable to the Irish people generally the extremists behind tho Sinn Fein movement will find themselves deserted and to all intents powerless. This is what Mr. Bedmond and the Nationalist Party are hoping for and working for. Though they are at present to a large extent a discredited party, the Nationalists may regain all their old power and influence should the work of the Convention produce the results expected from it. In consequence the whole future of Ireland may be said to depend on the goocl sense, the mutual co-operation, and the spirit of conciliation displayed between tho two main factions at the Convention—tho Home Rulers'and the representatives of Ulster. Provided they can sink their differences sufficiently to arrive at a reasonable agreement, there is good prospect that Ireland may be saved from further serious disorders by the adoption of a form of self-govern-ment which will remove the chief ground for existing grievances. The Convention is sitting in secret, and publication of reports of the proceedings or of progress made is prohibited under heavy penalties. But it is regarded as a hopeful sign that tho sittings have been continued from the outset without any evidence of discord, and that those most intimately concerned with its labours are pressing forward with their task undeterred by_ tho turbulence and open antagonism of the Sinn Feiners. The unrest and disorder in Ireland aro kept alive by Sinn Fein agency, and must bo expected to continue until the report of the Convention is published and the people ( of Ireland are able to judge for 'themselves what it is that is offered them.