The Home Rule Bill.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 43, 20 February 1914, Page 5

The Home Rule Bill.

ANCIENT WOUNDS OPENED

MR BALFOUR'S ADVICE. [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] .{.United Press Association. l London, February 19. Mr Balfour said that 1 the Bill, which was professed to complete the healing process in Ireland, had torn ancient wounds open. Ireland had now two opposite camps, divided by differences more irreconcilable than ever. The situation was one of hopeless entanglement, and an inextricable mess. The Government admitted that modification was necessary, but t what modification was unknown, and pos- v sibly unknowable. He did not believe that the Government had willingly thown themselves into armed collision with "Ulster. He. warned them, while their plans were still maleable, Lotto commit the most fatal mistake of a half measure of Home Rule within Home Rule. The fixed desire of Ulster was not for a Parliament at Dublin, but to be in the British Parliament on equal terms with us. "We are now in the rapids," continued Mr Balfour. "Even to the .- dullest oar the mutterings of the distant cataract are audible. Unless the Government makes a clean cut, they will find themselves in the remorseless current, and the Ship of State will be dashed to irremediable disaster." Sir Edward Carson said "we are prepared to sacrifice everything rather than to submit to the hateful | rule. Nothing under heaven wiM j divert us from our fixed determination."