“Raising a Storm.”

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 89, 6 April 1914, Page 5

“Raising a Storm.”

HOME RULE FOR IRELAND. “BRITISH COVENANTERS.” A REMARKABLE COMBINATION: TORIES AND TRADE UNIONISTS. [rr Electric Telegraph —Copyright 1 [United Press association.'! London, April 4. Mr W. H. Long presided over a meeting in London to establish a League of British Covenanters. Earl Roberts was elected president, and on rising to return thanks was cheered for several minutes. Sir Edward Carson also received an ovation. Describing the Ulster volunteers, he said they were very largely trade unionists. Lord Milner declared that the time was short, but there was still time to raise a storm of protest and compel an appeal to the country. Lord Robert Cecil (Unionist), speaking at Ashwell, said the Army was not an instrument of the Government, but of the Crown. Soldiers and civilians were equal before the law. As regards obedience to orders, they n-ust consider whether these were lawful or not. REPLY TO MR REDMOND. - , | Lon'don, April 4.

,Sir Edward Carson, in a special message to Australia, states that it is difficult to conceive a more deliberate misrepresentation of facts than Mr Redmond’s message, published in Australia on March 25. The disgraceful attack on the Army was quite consistent with the record of men who never lost an opportunity to insult tli© British soldiers and the British flag, and among them are still men who fought beside England’s enemies in South Africa. Lord Morley’s statement in the House of Lords sufficiently belies Mr Redmond’s insinuation. Speaking on the Government’s behalf on Monday, Lord Morley had said that there had not been a single case ot disobedience to orders on the part of any officer or man in connection with the recent events, and the conduct of the troops had been exemplary. The Government, on their own initiative, gave the officers at The Curragh the alternative of fighting against the Ulster or resigning their commission and being dismissed. The officers were free to choose, and they chose the latter course, although there by they forfeited their pensions and ruined their careers, which in many cases involved a total loss of livelihood. Such self-sacrifice is the test of sincerity. These seventy officers preferred to sacrifice themselves rather than lead troops against loyalists who were subjects of the King, and who rally under the Union Jack. Let it be clearly understood that the Army was dragged into the present struggle only because the Government dare not take the people’s opinion by a general election as a referendum before forcing their infamous proposals through Parliament. DEMONSTRATION IN HYDE PARK London, April 5. There was a remarkable Unionist demonstration at Hyde Park. Despite the rain, twenty-two processions, representing seventy-six London constituencies, bands playing and flags flying, marched to Hyde Park. Speakers were mounted on fourteen platforms, and these included Messrs Balfour and Bonar Law, Sir Edward Carson, Lord Milner, Mr Austen Chamberlain, Lord Selbourne, and Mr Smith, M.P.

Resolutions were carried, protesting against the Army being used to shoot down the Ulster volunteers, and demanding a general election. Tho meeting concluded with the singing of the hymn, “0, God, oui help in ages past,” and the National Anthem.

Some Lahorites interrupted with the singing of “The Red Flag.” Suffragettes engineered a rival procession, and their meeting resulted in disturbances. Mrs Drummond and others were arrested. MR ASQUITH AND THE “LEGEND. 1 ’ THE ARMY NON-POLITICAL. TORY DOCTRINE AND DISCIPLINE London, April 5. Mr Asquith, speaking at Ladybank, ridiculed the “legend” that the Government had selected the moment of making proposals to settle Home Rule to engineer a plot to provoke Ulster. There had been a genuine misunderstanding and honest mistakes regarding the Army, hut lie had good reason to know tho zeal and devotion to duty pervading the military and naval forces.

“I am certain,” he said, “that they can bo counted on, from tho highest to the lowest, without exception, to undertake the duties which they may be required to discharge. I pray that the Army is not to become a political instrument. It has no place and no voice in framing our policy or moulding our laws. The true doctrine of Army administration was laid down by the elder Pitt 170 years ago.

“It is my duty to see that the Army is fit, in tho ever-shifting conditions, for its primary duty. The Army will hear nothing of politics from me on my return, and I shall expect to hear nothing of politics from the Army.” The responsibility of preserving dobnestic peace, he said, lay with the 'magistrates and police. Ihe Army s aid could not and ought not to ho

invoked except in an emergency, which ( was happily rare; hut when such oc- j casion arose it was the duty of tne j soldier to comply wit(h the demand ol the civil power. The present Tory doctrine struck at the very root not only of Army discipline, but of democratic government. , THE SPIRIT OF LAWLESSNESS. | “PEACE WITH HONOR.’* (Received 8.10 a.m.) London, April 5. Mr Asquith, continuing, said if they ( were to recognise the existence of , dispensing and discriminating power in officers, they must recognise it in the men, and also in their judges magistrates, and civil servants. New dogmas would be invoked whenever the spirit of lawlessness claimed to stop the machinery of society. He ( quoted from his speech at St. An- ( drew’s on December 7, 1910, dealing with Home Rule as justification for dealing with the Bill under the Parliament Act, in which he said that settlement by consent was desirable in the interests of the country, but it must be peace with honour. Sir Asquith concluded by advocating devolution being applied to other parts of the United Kingdom. Ho regretted that the spirit of a democratic army had been lost. There were several by-elections with great issues ahead, and it was time to put aside comparatively trivial differences. United democracies would be irresistible. HYDE PARK “RALLY.” STRONG TORY SPEECHES. (.Received 8.45 a.m.) London, April G. The Stock Exchange organised processions in Hyde Park. Leading Conservative clubs, including the Caidton, sent largo contingents who commingled with great parties from East End. Sir Edward Carson denied that the army belonged to the Radicals. The Government had no right to use the forces of the Crown when it refused to take a vote of the people. Lord Charles Beresford said if the Army were used against Ulster it would break the Navy as well as the Army. Mr Churchill, ho said, had organised a plot against Ulster. He was a Liliput Napoleon, a man of unbalanced mind, absorbed by frenzy ; and vindictiveness against Ulster, because Belfast had refused to receive i him. Lord Miincr said in the earlier civil ■ wars combatants had beliefs and con- , victions, but if there was fighting in I Ulster, the contending parties would i be fundamentally agreed in attach- • merit to the Flag, Throne, and Empire, and would be hurled against - eacli other in fratricidal conflict owing i [ to the sinister pressure of the GovII eminent, which bated Ulstwuieu nud i • th® Army.