REPLY OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 71, 20 October 1916, Page 5

REPLY OF THE GOVERNMENT.

HOME RULE FAILURE NOT DUE TO THEM. i ■ : IRISHMEN ALONE TO BLAME. SPEECH BY MR ASQUITH. FINE TRIBUTE TO REDMOND. A DELICATE SITUATION. SAFEGUARDING THE PUBLIC. RECRUITING FIGURES SPEAK. REDMOND’S MOTION LOST. Press Association -Copyright, Austra* lian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 9.30 a.m.) London, October 19. In the House of Commons, Mr H. C. Duke, Chief Secretary for Ireland, 1 reply! ig r '' Hr Redmond, said it was impossible to repeal martial law until the ringleaders of the rebels were convinced of their wickedness and of the hopelessness of their proposals. The British Parliament was not responsible for the failure of the last effort to secure Home Rule. The failure to effect a settlement, in July was due to the fact that Irishmen were unable to agree. Meanwhile, the Government must secure the protection of all law-abiding citizens.

Mr Asquith repudiated the allegation that Dublin Castle was being run by a Unionist Administration. He paid tribute to Mr Redmond’s work in connection with recruiting and said that no man in the Empire had rendered more constant, more loyal, and more effective service. He must remember that the Government was dealing with a transitory situation, and martial law, in the com-monlv-accepted sense of the term, was ‘being applied. Everything was being done under the powers conferred by the Defence of the Realm Act, but in view of a possible recrudescence of the disorders, it was impossible to dispense with safeguards. He admitted that some I stupidities s were repeated m Ireland, and at- the beginning of the?• warmany things were done which offended the National susceptibilities. There had been 150,000 recruits in Ireland since the beginning of Die war, making 157,000 volunteering to enlist. Tins was only 24 per cent, o the population. This was a low percentage compared with the rest o the United Kingdom and with the contributions from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. The-rebel prisoners would be released the moment it was safe to do so. Mr Asquith urged the necessity o dispersing the present suspicions re obtaining an agreed settlement. Every sane politician m Britain v ould welcome»an agreement with joy. Air Redmond’s motion was rejected by 303 to 106.