HOME RULE CONVERTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 89, 10 December 1912, Page 8

HOME RULE CONVERTS.

A SIGNIFICANT LIST.

An important manifesto in favour of Home Rule has been issued by sever noted gentlemen. The significance of their declaration is that they are con verts to Home Rule; and the case of one of them, Sir West Ridgeway, is of especial import, inasmuch ;ts he waiassociated with Mr. Balfour’s Irish Secretaryship and its policy of coercion. The manifesto is as follows: “We, the undersigned, who were unable to support Mr. Gladstone’s Home Rule Bills, are now convinced that some form of Home Rule is the only feasible method of removing the chronic trouble and standing danger to the Empire which may arise Iron the anomalous relations between Great Britain and Ireland. Prolonged experience has shown that the wasteful, cumbrous and practically irresponsible system of Irish Government cannot 1)0 remedied so long as Irish administration is entangled in British party politics. We believe that the present Home Rule Bill, though in the opinion of some of us important modifications are necessary, is an honest endeavour to grapple with the pro blems, and should be passed into law.”

The signatories are— I Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the wellknown novelist, who was once an Unionist candidate. Mr. Joseph Hocking, the novelist. Mr. Edward .leaks, Principal and Director of Legal Studies of the Law Society, and author of many legal works. Mr. Tonman Mosley, a. barrister, who in 1885 was a Tory candidate. Lord Pirrie, chairman of Harland and Wolff’S, the famous shipbuilders; formerly a Unionist and now a Liberal. Sir Frederick Pollock, the famous Professor of Law, and legal, historical, and philosophical writer. Sir West Ridgeway, who was Un-der-Secretary for Ireland to Mr, A. J. Balfour during the latter’s coercion regime.