THE IRISH PROBLEM.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1921, Page 2

THE IRISH PROBLEM.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION ' SIR. ,T. CRAIG. LONDON, Dec 16. Sir .J. Craig, interviewed, said, but for the raising of the boundaries ques- , tion, ho thought they might, have been a bio to secure approval of, the treaty. Now the outlook was entirely altered. LOR.D BIRKENHEAD. LONDON, Dec 16. Lord Birkenhead, a guest of the America Luncheon Club, said the world could not have teen saved without America’s timely help in the war. No nobler contribution was ever made by a civilized power in the world’s history, than America’s calling of the Disarmament Conference. Referring to the Irish quarrel, he said even at this moment they did not know that the spectre had been laid low. It was ftdl obscure, but wo Have done more to banish the last trench of misunderstanding than our predecessors had done during two centuries. BELFAST RIOTS. LONDON, Dec 17. Belfast outbreaks were renewed tonight at Albert Bridge Road, gunmen shooting freely. Pedestrians fled and the tram service stopped. Passengers

by the last tram had to lie on the floor of the car to escape bullets. A girl was shot dead. The authorities ordered the curfew !<> he imposed and called out the military. HAIL KIRK ANN’S SESSIONS. LONDON, December 17. The Dail Eireann continues its secret session to-day. It begins an open session on Monday morning. The London ‘‘Daily Telegraph Is” correspondent says that the Dail Eireann’s coming public session is expected to extend over two or three days, , and every member of the Dail intends to state publicly whether and why he or she is for accepting or rejecting the Treaty. IRISH LABOUR’S VIEWS. LONDON, December 16. The "Voice of Labour,” the organ of Irish I-abour, states: “Whatever 1 befalls, let us keep our industrial ranks unbroken. This is not to sav that as individuals, trade unionists must suppress their views, or be denied tho right to act according to their convictions. Quite the contrary; but they 1 should keep such speech and action ’ outside their unions as organisations. 1 We write this because we know there r arc many to champion the national cause, while there are few to champion Labour's cause, or devote themselves wholly to the working class.” 1 BRITISH COMMONS DEBATE. ' LONDON, December 17. 1 The debate on the terms of the Irish 0 Treaty was continued on Friday in the [ * House of Commons. ’■ Rt. Hon. Arthur Henderson said that s the Labour Party hoped, that this Treaty would he ratified. The new situation now created represented a tremendous change of attitude, spirit

and policy. Mr O’Neill (Ulster Unionist) .said that he considered Ulster had been scandalously treated. The proposed revision of the Irish boundaries was a unique thing in the Empire’s history. He asked whether the House would dare to pass a measure for altering Canadian boundaries without consulting the Dominion’s Prime Minister? Colonel .Tohn Ward supported the Treaty. He said that the English democracy should have been consulted as the proposal was one that mennt revolutionising the constitution and turning everything topsy-turvy. Mr Barvhury asserted that soon the Sinn Eeiners would be fighting among themselves and they should have to intervene. Rt. Hon. Austen Chamberlain replied for the Government. He said lie regarded Mr Bonar Law’s speech as a great not of statesmanship. Mr Chamberlain repudiated the suggestion that the British Government had inspired the messages of congratulation which it had received from the Dominions The Address-in-Reply was finally agreed to on the voices. BIRKENHEAD AND CARSON. LONDON, December 17. Lord Birkenhead’s reply to Lord Carson caused a sensation in the House of Lords. Birkenhead used the phrase “Lord Carson’s criticism, as an effort of constructive Statecraft, would have been immature on the lips of a schoolgirl. This was so stinging that it provoked Txird Carson to rise and retort: “I accepted the Bill of 1920.” In the House of Lords the Lord Chancellor, Lord Birkenhead, replying in the Irish debate, was most effective in his attacks upon Lord Salisbury, the Duke of Northumberland, and the other “Die hards.” Lord Birkenhead described the Duke of Northumberland as “a man who thinks that every soldier is a superman, every politician a knave, or a fool, and that every working man is a Bolshevist.” MORE BELFAST SHOOTING. LONDON. Dee. 17. More shooting has occurred, it was stated in widely separated districts in Belfast City on Friday night. One police lorry was attacked. The occupants replied with machine guns. Six persons were wounded. DF, VALERA’S MOVE. LONDON, December 17. In the House of Commons, Mr Chamberlain. replying to a question, said that the matter of an amnesty to Irish political prisoners would be considered if the agreement were ratified by both sides. The London “Daily Telegraph's” correspondent states: “The Dail Eireann is debating an alternative Treaty to that from London. It has been drawn up by Mr do Valera. The correspondent states it breaks highly debatable ground. Mr de Valera is credited with the determination to stand firm on the ground that any Treaty must provide for a Parliament of the whole Irish Nation, the Ulster State Parliament to derive its authority from such Parliament. The Dublin correspondent of the London “Daily Telegraph,” referring to Mr de Valera’s alternative Treaty now stated to be before the Dail Eireann says it is one that would wreck the agreement that’ already had been

signed. “The supporters of the existing treaty, n he adds, **are endeavouring to prevent recalcitrants from adopting a policy of antagonism to the establishment of a Government that would be in accordance with the terms.