IRISH POLICY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 78, 27 December 1919, Page 7

IRISH POLICY

-- PROPOSALS OUTLINED BY MR. LLOYD GEORGE TWO SEPARATE LEGISLATURES POPULACE TO DETERMINE QUESTION OF UNION (Hy Tolegraph-l'icss Association-Copyright London, December 22. Elaborate precautions were laken to prevent a Sinn l-'ein demonstration ill the House pi' Commons. when Mr. I.fyyil George outlined the eagerly-awaited Irish proposals. Strong guards were posted. The Nationalists were absent.

At the oulse', the Piime Minister emphasised that Iris pari was as diiiir-ult as eve..' confronted a .Minister, especially after tli:; discreditable outrage of Friday. An atmosphere charged with the reek of attempted assassination was not favourable to the promotion of a measure of reconciliation. but Parliament should not allow itself to be swept away by indignation. He paid an eloquent tribute to Lord. Fu'iieh, and expressed his appreciation of Hie- fact thai the head? of the Catholic Church kail lost no lime in deiioiineiii!r Ihe outrage. He stressed the fact that no proposals acceptable to British opinion stood any chance of acceptance in tlie present position of Irish affairs. Tlireo Fundamental Facts. \ The plan of the Government, said Mr. Llovd George, was based on the recognition of three fundamental facts: (1) The impossibility nf severing Ireland from tho United Kingdom; (2) the opposition nf Nationalist Ireland tn British rule ill Ireland,' despite the fact that Ireland was never so prosperous; and (3) the opnosition of tho North-East to Irish rule. Subject to those three conditions Hie Government proposed that self-government should be conferred on the whole of Ireland through the establishment of two Legislatures, ono of which would be the Parliament of Sonthmi Ireland, and the other tlie Parliament of. Northern Ireland. - ' Proposals. Four alternative proposals had been discussed regarding the areas. The" first was that Ulster should form ono unit, and fiic otjier three provinces the other unit: the second involved county option; the third was that Ihe six north-eastern counties should form one unit. All these contained objections regarding the division of the population. The fourth suirgestion was to ascertain a homogeneous north-eastern section, and constitute it a separate area, eliminaling, where, practicable, the Catholic, communities, whilst including the Protestant; communities in colerminmiK counties in order 1.0 nroduce an are,a as homogeneous as possible under the circumstances.

A Council of Ireland. It. was further proposed to constil'.ite. a. Council of Ireland, lonsisling of representatives of both Legislatures (o serve as a, link between tlio two .sections of Ireland. so ihal: a joint, administration of the conim-m services could be arranged. The Irish Legislatures, the Prime Minister said, would liavo complete discretion regarding tlio powers conferred on Iho Council and.the services to bo jointly controlled. Tl» Irish Legislatures ivonld also have full constituent powers, without further referenco to the Imperial Parliament, to create a single Trish LJiislature if both Sections desired it. It would thus' rcsl ■ with the Irish people them,selves to delfrmirio whether they wanted union- As a greater inducement, iidditionnl taxing powers would bo handed over to tlio Irish Parliament as soon as unity was accomplished. Representation at Westminster would be reduced to fortv members (the number is now 105). Certain powers would be reserved to the Imperial Parliament, including-the Crown, peace and war, foreign affairs, and Armv and Navv, defence, treason, trade outside Ireland, navigation, including merchant shipping, wireless and cables, coinage, trade-marks, and lighthouses. and also the higher judiciary, wndin? an agreement between the- two Legislatures regarding (he method of appointments, Powers of Irish Parliament. The powers of the Irish Parliament would be most considerable. It would have full control of education, local government. land agriculture, roads, bridges, transportation (including railways and canals), ild n.<;c pensions, insurance, municipal affairs, the local judiciary, hospitals, 'Labour legislation, licensing, and all the machinery for the maintenance of law and order except the higher iudiciarv and the Army and Navy. It was not proposed that the control of the nolico shoild be retained in Imperial hands bevond three years, while security would ho given that all.the members of the Police Force and Civil Service and Post Office would not b? transferred until both parts of Ireland had united in asking for such transfer. There would al-o be clauses for the protection of minorities. * Financial Provisions. Dealing with finance, Mr Lloyd George duels red that tha absence of provision in the 191-1 Bill for a contribution to the maintfnanK) of the Umpire was a supreme injustice to the taxpayer in Eritn in. The Government proposed to give the Irish Governments the whole advantage ot'Mhose taxes raised iu Ireland in excess of a fair contribution to the Imperial services. The revenue of Ireland in 1918 was ,£H,-}!)S,(!00, and the expenditure ,£'23.500.000. Therefore there would be' a contribution of eighteen millions to-' wards Imperial expenditure, :-which included war pensions. Each Parliament would bo granted one million to cover its initial evp'-'iditiire, While the proceeds of land and annuilics would a'.-sj be handed over as a free gift_ to Ireland, making a. total of three millions- The two Parliaments would have the taxation powers of the American States. Income tax. super tax, excess profits tax, Customs and cxeise would be collected Imperially, but when Ireland was united the Tmoerial Government could consider whether the Customs eiiould ho handed over 4 Scheme Prompted by Sense of Justice. In concluding liig speech the Prime Minister pleaded for the closing the chanter of mistake?, follies, and crimes on both sides. The question now, ho said, was not who was to blame, but how to set it rialit. It was important that both countries should realise thoioughiy the limit.Mons of acceptance. Unless Ireland had real control of her purely domestic affairs it would be idle to profeed. On the other hand, Dritaiii could not accept separation. .Men who thought' that Britain could be compelled by force to concede anything unjust 10. her own people, or fatal to her own lii'e and sec'irrlv. cot ild not; have the story of the in~l five wars. This was not the time I when an,'one should suspect liritain of conceding from *veal>:ness, Won id anyone tenet I hi' 'and Unit had destroyed the greatest military empire in the world, largely bv its own power, that it was simiilv Ini;>ilii)7 before a band of wretched a «.,sjin<? The vorhl would know that liritain «':<-■ ei'terimr noon a scheme prompted bv the ileep sense of justice which had -iKtui'vd 'ilu- land tluwHi Ihe-e las! vears of Kien(ife.~ A tls -N.ii. Cable Assn. DISCISSION"ONTR!? SCHFJE (lice. PooemVr 2(1. a.m.) London, December 22. Following Mr. T.lovd George in (he Jf on so of Commons. Sir Donald Ji'Loan welcomed the absence of anv suggestion of further coercion and repression or any idea of vengeance. He believed that Ireland would willinglv ioii" the Empire sisterhood i the horrors of Hie sad nasi were brushed aside. Tie urged a sotlleincnt along 'the |jpns adopted in South Africa. Sir Fdwnrd Carson said that lie l'O<rretted that constitutional Nationalists v-ip :>l',-<,|il. 11" ""'s still a-- i : vnily convinced as ever that a united Pnrliiinioiil was best for the ("nilec! Kiiiednin am Ireland He believed, that Unlain would make a mistake in the eyes of foreign nations if she proceeded as if Ireland possessed no political freedom. The Irish

electors had equal rights with Iho British. indeed jrr ,!i ! rights. Sir Kd-v.-pnl farcin annealed lo ib.n Government I," retain Ulster in a united Parliament. Mr. A. Henderson said that the greater the delay 'in reaching a set dement lite greater would bo the danger-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. miTSSWX TO wtivt COMMITTEE proposed. (llec. December 2". 12.25 p.m.) * London, December 2-!. Tn Ihe House o!' Cen>rf" -a*. Mr. F. D>. Aeland proceed Hint ilio*!i-ish Bill be remitted next .««»\sion to a Select Cornmil tee both ifitrsps Co-- permanent solution of Ihe Irish problem.- He eo" r tended IlinT Hie united Hsdoin of belli Houses was belter than Ihe,divided wisdom 0 f Iho Government:. The House was'counted out—Aus.-X.Z. Cable. Assn. PREsFfIiVNIONS 'Hoc. December 2f>, 12.25 p.m.) London, December 2-1. The newspapers, while not oplimislie. penerallv favour uivimr the Government's Iri-h Si-heni" a chance. The "IVii-'Vnws" save it is certain Hint (he l!i|l will meet "--Hi vehement criticism from the Sinn and Vlslermen, 'Iml Ihe. thing that matter* at present is whether Ihe i-mv,promise is a >:n=-ihle one. 11; acknowledges the right of Ireland lo manage it* own affairs and the ultimate fact of Hie uiiitv of Ireland.

The "Chronicle" says: "Mr. T.loyd floorer's statement wa< an excellent 'one. We bel'eve Urn dual system of Tlmiie Pule Hie only possible way out of Ihe Irish ('P nr rlc. M The "Exprois" ?«y« ; "The Prime Minister i« io In be turned from his settled nurnose bv malignant In-vlescnoss. but Hie Government should vimlien'c the law and iwlo'-» order, and on?/!- then pros' forward Drmie -.iwil», without the cerlainty of Piiilttys failure.-" The "Daily Mail" "Tim Government's is the hpst Irish scheme yt. Coi(ra!!C. sincerity, and ini:'"ina(ioit have gone (■-> making an T'-ifh -eit'emenf." 'fie "Morniu'r Post" of Hie Bill, particularly the clauses handing over Ihe police In the nnrlv which is now shooting them.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.