The Irish Struggle

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 254, 25 March 1914, Page 5

The Irish Struggle

AT THE DICTATION OP THE .ARMY. AN IMPOSSIBLE POSITION. THE^QVER-YMEXTC' DILEMMA. EVIDIBSS.£Y UNEXPECTED OPPOSl- „ ■ TIOX. ■ EXTRACT FROM A ? letter. I COUNTRY IN A BLAZE I!Y ; " SATURDAY."

\ -D > rrf ; By <#ble-4fress Association—Copyright tO'.. iLojjdon, March 23. Tiiing has cancelled his visit to and National meeting. He%ave audience to Lieut.-General The House of Commons was crowded. Messrs Asquith, and Lloyd George were Cleered. The Oppositionists raised cries Of "Limehousel" ' Asquith, in reply to Mr. Bonar taw, -promised further facilities for the of the tflster situation if, liter '.Colonel Secly'a -statement, Mr. Bona];.Law thought it'necessary. Colonel Seely stated that some officers had informed Lieutenant-General Paget' they would not serve in certain (Jyeutualities. This arose through «. Aisiurdferstanding. -These officers had been ordered to rejoin their units. The ffloveffiait 'of troops was solely to project flaa ffevpmmpni arma and ammuniMrfPJSsir Law asked for further disMr. Asquith moved the of the House. Mri®onar Law said it was a most amazwg. 4 inßtance of the' Government paltefflog witb the House of Commons. JThe flatiger of the Army being destrovfed their eyes. It had come ' On the Government like a bolt from the

blue. He had received proof that otHer - officers than those in the cavalry regiments' had tendered their resignations, fie read a letter stating that the officers not fighting against Ulster would be dismissed. The Government moving troops was foolish and had led to the new situation which had arisen. He also read a letter in which Lieutqnant-Gen-jeral Paget stated that active operations Were to begin against Ulster, that he expected the country would be ablaze by Saturday, that he was in close conmltation with the War Office, and had received instructions thence. Mr. Bonar Law said it was difficult for Mr. Asquith to convince the House that without his knowledge some of his colleagues had made movements of the troops a 9 part of a concerted plan to provoke or (intimidate Ulster. Mr. Asquith said that in December the officers-commanding were informed that they might be called to assist the civil power and that officers domiciled in the area might be excused. Lieut.-Gen. Paget Emphatically denied this, saying, "This is the first step in the operations to conquer Ulster." General Paget never ref ceived instructions from the War Office ' to justify such a statement. It was an undoubted fact that Brigadier-General others misinterpreted the instrWfcions, and the Army Council was now satisfied that it was a misunderstanding. The officers also were satisfied.

The letter read bv Mr. Bonar Law was not written by Lieutenant-General Paget, but was one containing the statement he was reported to have made to the officers at the Curragh. Mr. Balfour said that undoubtedly the Government thought the circumstances exceptional, and made exceptional provisions and then encountered unexpected opposition on the part of officers. The Government hud forced a crisis of infinite danger to the community and Army. Brigadier-General Gough had resigned Because he would not fight Ullter, and had now been reinstated, though be still would not fight Ulster. ' It is authoritatively stated that a number of officers in the Belfast command have resigned. The motion for adjournment in the House of Commons was negatived without a division. In tEc House of Lords, Lord Morley ,Was pressed to publish the Army Council's instructions to Lieutenant-General Pa<*et. He promised an announcement to-morrow. Lieutenant-General Paget conferred tMlh Colonel Seely prior to a lengthy council. Colonel Seely then ■proceeded to Buckingham Paace. The Times, in a leader, says: "To-day flie Ulater Covenanters stand on the alert calmly ready to fulfil their oath of resistance, while the Army for the moment is paralysed. Never was so ,'delicate an issue so stupidly bungled and mishandled." | A GERMAN VIEW. Received 24, 5.30 p.m. Berlin, March 23. \cwspaper9 attribute the Irish tiouble to tbe evils of democracy, emphasising the dangers of a voluntary military -lysteffl.

THE ARMY AND NAVY. 4 Received '24, 5.30 p.m. London, Marcli 23. m Lord Charles Beresford, in a letter, " gays that so long as officers and men are under the pennant they must obey ' orders. He believes that many of the Best will resign, involving a stoppage of oav and pension. When the reaction comes he is certain that the country will restore them to their positions. Sir Marcus Samuel is offering £IO,OOO tn a tart a fund to, assist the resigning officers' families. -

THE OPPOSITie^ r ii,i) THE FORCES

MR. ASQUITH VINDICATES HIS POLICY.' Received 25,j 1.10 Laiidon, March 24. Mr Bonar Law read a letter from an officer wlio was present at the conference. This said that General Paget spoke the words: "Active operations are about to commence against Ulster. I expect the country will be ablaze by Saturday." He assured the officers that he had the War Office's instructions. Mr Bonai| Law continued that it was impossible for General Gough's dismissal to have been due to misconception, and the country had a right to know the terms -of his reinstatement, ne asked the Premier to say openlv that he had been reinstated on the distinct understanding that ihe would not be asked to use his troop 3 to enforce Home Rule. Those officers who refused on conscientious grounds should be permitted to resign without forfeiting their pensions. The situation had arisen that the Government was attempting to coeice a part of the population without the authority of the electors. Mr. Asquith commenced by defining the Army's duty. They must protect military property, and render assistan" if civil power were inadequate to deal with riot or disorder.

When Mr.-Asquith, in his reply, said that officers domiciled in Ulster might resign, he was asked if similar regulations applied to strikes. Mr. Asquith: Yes; it is a good rule where military force is called to assist the civil, to avoid employing men having domestic ties in the locality. When Lieutenant-General Paget received the War Office's instr*ctions he assembled the divisional generals and brigadiers and intimated to them that the movement might cause excitement, and orders might be varied by consequential supplementary movements. Brigadier-General Gough, who was a most distinguished cavalry leader, a man of a very great and well-deserved reputation, and some other officers, interpreted Lieut.-General Paget's observations in the sense of the letter which Mr. Bonar Law had read. The officers were now satisfied that there had been a misunderstanding, and had returned expressing their full willingness to discbarge their duties.

The Premier concluded: "It is not the business of the Army and Navy to discriminate between the relative validity of different parts of the law . If Mr. Bonar Law's doctrine were recognised, the whole fabric whereon the law was built would disappear." Continuing, the Premier said: "If half-a-million men struck for shorter hours and better wages, and brought society near to starvation, would officers disobey orders because they believed the men's cause was just ? I protest against the notion that the Army and Navy must ultimately determine the country's policy."

Mr. Balfour said it was absurd for the Premier to use this conciliatory language while Mr. Churchill was Wowing the call to arms in Yorkshire. While the Premier was calling out the fire engines to put out the conflagration, he sent his two colleagues to cut the mains and destroy the water supply. It had never before been thought necessary, when supporting the magistrate or looking after small arms to lay down conditions that persons who had relations in the dear small arms might disappear, .and later come back without loss of military reputation. The thing was manifestly foolish. Brigadier-General Gough had been reinstated, though he still said he would not fight Ulster. There were times in history when the ordinary maxims of Government and society must be laid aside. There had been such a crisis in our civil war, the contest wth the American colonies, and at the time of the disruptions between North arid South.

DUTY, OR DISMISSAL. ACCUSATION OF CLASS BIAS AND PREJUDICE. Received 23, 12.30 o.m. London, March 24. Mr Balfour, continuing, said that such a crisis had been due to circumstances beyond the power of man. If this were the case, it was due to the insane folly folly of the Governments refusal to look the facts in the face. Mr Ramsay Macdonald said: "II Brig-adier-General Gough was unprepared to do his duty he ought to be dismissed. The syndicalists had, aroarently, succeeded in inoculating the Tories with their poisonous views. Hundreds of thousands of trade unionists will say that Army officers are prepared t" shoot strikers because thev do not sympathise with them, but will not do their duty in Ulster because of class bias and political prejudices.

Lord Morley, in the House of Lords, repeated the Ministerial statement given in the House of Commons, and added that the King had approved of Briea-dier-General Gough and other officer? being ordered to rejoin. Newspapers state that the War Office verbally assured General Goushvtterday that the cavalrv would be required only to assist to preserve law and order in Ulster. He asked for a written assurance, which was granted, and General Gough a«reed to resume. He telegraphed to his regiment that aii officers would be reinstated without loss of prestige.

The Da,ilv Mail adds that General Gough telegraphed to his officers at the Curragli on Sunday, after his first visit, to the War Office: "We found strong support on this side, and believe we shall come through all right if we ! stand firm."