HOME RULE FOR IRELAND

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 59, 11 March 1914, Page 6

HOME RULE FOR IRELAND

EARL GREY’S VIEWS ON THE .PRESENT SITUATION.

[Peb Press Association.] Wellington, March 11

In an interview given to a “Post” representative to-day Earl Grey made a statement on the question of Home Rule, in view of Mr Asquith’s amended proposals as outlined in his speech in the House of Commons. “I think it would be wiser,” said Earl Grey, “to wait until we are in possession of Mr Asquith’s full proposals before expressing a definite opinion upon them, but my impression is that if one may .•form an opinion from the cables in yes terday’s paper, that criticism will show that the scheme suggested is so unworkable that it will break down. For instance, it is reported that Lister is to keep her present representation at Westminster of 33 members, while the rest of Ireland will have only 27. Herein are sufficient elements of future confusion to make anyone distrustful as to the chance of the Bill proving a settlement of tlie Irish difficulty. My impression is that the new proposal will not be able to stand the criticism to which it will be subjected, and it will be necessary to attempt a new solution, as I hope, bygeneral consent on Federal lines. As you perhaps are aware I am a Federal Home Ruler—that I am in favor of each part of the United Kingdom be ing entrusted with the management of purely domestic affairs, but I am strongly opposed to giving any part of the United Kingdom privileges which cannot be equally given to other parts. In other words, I am strongly opposed to any settlement of the Irish difficulty on the assumption that Ireland is a separate nationality entitled by reason of her separate nationality to separate rights. The. present Bill, even with * the. exclusion of Ulster, is open, to my m'nd, to the strongest objection, because it is based upon an attempt to give Ireland the lights of a separate nationality instead of only such powers of local self-government as could under a federal system, such as exists in Canada, the United States and Australia, be given to evenpart.” Earl Grey added that lie felt greatly relieved at the turn eve its had taken, because they swept away all chance of civil war and left the way open to a settlement of the question on the lines he indicated.