Home Rule Debate

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 215, 11 March 1914, Page 5

Home Rule Debate

The Premier's Argument Ulster's Exclusion the Price of Peace Leading Commoners Express their Views v A Critical Situation « j By Cable—Press Association —Copyright

PRIME MINISTER'S HOME RULE PROPOSALS. CONCESSIONS EXPLAINED TO CROWDED COMMON'S. London, March 9. The House was crowded and members unable to find accommodation on the floor of the Chamber were seated in the galleries. Great tension prevailed question time. Messrs Asquith, Bonar Law and Sir E. Carson received ovations. Mr. Asquith arose, amidst great cheering. and said he was offering suggestions not mean running away from tho original Bill. He desired to give the Bill a start with the greatest measure of success. There was a prospect I of acute dissatisfaction and civil strife, yet if the Bill were shipwrecked, mutilated, or postponed, the outlook was' equally formidable. Any settlement, therefore, must involve the acceptance of the principle of an Irish Parliament wit# special treatment to Ulster. Beyond the safeguards provided in the Bill, Mr. Asquith announced that the Ulster counties would be allowed to take a poll as to whether they should be excluded for six years. Before that period expired the electors of the United Kingdom would have an opportunity to say whether the exclusion should continue. Mr. Bonar law demanded that the electors should be consulted, otherwise the Unionists would be unable to accept the proposals. THE ALTERNATIYE SCHEMES. THEIR WEAKNESSES SHOWN. London, March 9. Mr. Asquith, continuing, said that the Government had considered three roads. The first was Home Rule within Home Rule, which did not commend itself to any of the parties. The second was the inclusion of the whole of Ireland, with the option to the Ulster counties to recede after a period. This also possessed fatal drawbacks. The third was the exclusion of Ulster. The Gof Ternment had decided that Ulster should be allowed to say whether she desired exclusion, and a poll of the electors womlil lie taken before the Bill became operative. If exclusion were adopted, the six-yearly period would date from the first meeting of Parliament. The term would afford ample time to test the new Parliament, and the electors of the United Kingdom would be able to say whether exclusion should continue. Meanwhile Ulster would continue her representation in the Imperial Parliament. ' Mr. Redmond said the Premier had gone to the very limit of concession. Long before the expiry of the six years they would be able to make an exhibition of tolerant Government which would disarm suspicion. Sir Edward Carson said that if the Government abolished the time limit be would summon an Ulster convention to consider the proposals, not otherwise. I Mr. Asquith said he did not expect J the proposals to be accepted with enthusiasm in any quarter. PAYING THE WAY FOR SETTLEMENT. i NO DIFFICULTIES IN ADMINISTRATION. Received 10, 11.25 p.m. i London, February 10. the House of Commons, Mr. Asquith said that personally he had ipent a great deal of labor in trying to devise a settlement on the lines of Home Rule within Home Rule, but that pleased no one. Exclusion was onlyproposed as the price of peace, and an expedient to pave the way for a final settlement. The Irish executive would have no right of entry into Ulster. An Imperial Minister in the Irish Parliament would be responsible for Ulster. There would be no difficulty regarding factory and workshop administration, while education and local government could be dealt with by the creation of local authorities. There need be no difficulty regardng police or land purchase. as these were included in the gervices reserved for the Imperial Parliament. THE UNIONIST LEADER. A CLEVER PRESENTATION. "PROPOSALS UTTERLY FUTILE." Received 10, 11.30 p.m. London, March 10. Mr.'Bonar Law, leader of the Unionist Party, said the Premier's proposals were equivalent to saying to Ulster: "By an organisation extending ovet Ik, Wire-! years jj>u have placed yourselves impregnable position. Therefore

we don't ask you to submit now to a National Parliament, but ask you to destroy your organisation and leave your fortress. When you are weak you will be compelled to do what you cannot be compelled to- do to-day: Does the Premier consider that reasonable? I think the proposals-are utterly futile. If the Government is unwilling to have la general election it can put the proposals outlined to-night in a Bill ami attach a clause necessitating the Bill being submitted to the country for a plain 'yes' or 'no,' adding that if tho verdict is 'yes' the Bill shall be presented forthwith for the Royal assent. I [Cannot speak for the House of Lords, but if the Government will do this, 1 will do everything to enable them to icarry the referendum into effect." MR. JOHN REDMOND. I v DARES THE OPPOSITION'. Received 10, 11.4-1 p.m. London, March 10. Mr. John Redmond, leader oi the reunited Irish Nationalist Party, said: "If Ulster frankly accepts the Government proposals as the basis'of peace, we will accept them in the same spirit. It will be a tragedy if Sir Edward Carson and his friends refuße to assist in creating good Government for Ireland." He continued: "If the Opposition,, in a moment's unwisdom and passion, reject this far-reaching and generous suggestion, then the Government will owe it to Ireland and to the Empire to put the Bill on the Statute Book without delay and face with firmness any movement to overawe Parliament and subvert the law by menace or arms." SIR EDWARD CAIiSOX. A QUALIFIED APPROVAL. OBJECTS TO DEFINITE TERM OF OP EXCLUSION. Received 10, 11.45 p.m. London, March 10. Sir Edward Carson Baid that Ulster was not. gro'ng to desert the lo.yalists -u the west and south of Ireland, but if the Government wanted to prevent Ulster resisting by force as being opposed to constitutional methods, Mr. Asquith had made some progress by acknowledging the principle of exclusion. Details could be worked out by negotiation, but Ulster did not want a | sentence of death with a stay of exeI cution for a sexennium. It was impossible for the business of Ulster to proceed with the people knowing that their future Government might be . changed by a general election. "Why not," Be asked, "agree, after a referendum, that Ulster remains apart until the Imperial Parliament, having regard to the feeling of Ulster itself, orders otherwise?" ( THE APPEAL TO FORCK. j TFJE ARMY AND COERGTOX. •HATEFUL AND INTOLERABLE." Received 10, 12.p0 a.m. London. March 10. Sir Edward Carson added: "Mr. Redmond has asked the House to employ the resources of the Government against Ulster, but is the country prepared to allow the forces of the Crown, which are not the fortes of any political caucus, to be used to coerce men who ask nothing but that they shall remain under this Parliament!" MR. WM. O'BRIEN. Mr. Wm. O'Brien said the Premier's suggestions were hateful and intolerable, and that Ulster was indulging in a gigantic game of bluff. MR. TIM HEALY. Mr. Tim Hcaly would rather have no Bill than the proposed modification, fie was certain that Mr. Redmond was going to swallow penpetual exclusion. Th.-> four excluded counties would be boycotted by all Irish outside. There would probably be. a movement in tho American Congress to put a tariff on Belfast linen and other products to prevent them being consumed in the United States. The debate was adjourned till tile 10th. Mr. Asquith indicated that Belfait ami-Londonderry city, which are county boroughs, would vote as separate counties.