The Daily News. THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1914. THE IRISH CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 47, 16 July 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1914. THE IRISH CRISIS.

Winn tin- British prime Minister (Mr Asquith) declared the Government's proposals for dealing with Ulster and Home Rule in the House of Commons on March 9 last, the cheers wherewith he wag welcomed are said to have sounded like tin roar of mighty waters. Ilia speech on that occasion is described as the greatest utterance he has addressed to the Hoiu-e of Commons, the audience being held under the orator's spell, and it ended in a beautiful peroration instinct wilh the. spirit of patriotism. "It," said Mr Asquith, "there is one lesson more clear than another taught by the history of this ancient kingdom of ours, it is that union with us of law and liberty has its source, and in moments of supremo urgency, has its sanction, In the corporate sense of common interest* and common responsibilities. There arc times, and I believe Ibis is one of them, in which we ought all of us to be ready to sacrifice much, not mcroly of prejudice and prepossession, but of solid and -dearly cherished aims and ideals, for the paramount good of the whole. If we have been as a nation, as we may claim without boasting to have been, the pioneers in the. world of popular government, it is because our peon' ', keen, tenacious, combative, self-reliant, learned in the stress of controversy the most acute and apparently the most irreconcilable, to respect one another and to renounce the falsehood of extremes. .... The best traditions of our past, no less than the undisclosed and fateful issues of the future, appeal to u« to-day with imperious accents to pursue if we can the way of unity and peace." The speech produced an electrical effect, but the House was soon plunged into acrimonious debate. Mr Asquith admitted that there was a prospect of civil strife, but gave a solemn warning that ir the Bill were shipwrecked or mutilated, there was an equally formidable outlook in Ireland. The stormy passage of the Bill through the House is- probably well remembered by all who pay attention to the news of the Empire. On 20th May, the Bill was parsed, Mr Bonar Law remarking tint the curtain was rung down en the end of the act, but not on the end of the play. There was still the House of Lords to contend with, and the certainty that the Bill would not be allowed to pass there. It is interesting that on the passing of the Bill, Mr Redmond remarked to an interviewer that the dead Union's place would be taken by a new union founded on mutual respect and goodwill, and would be followed by peace, prosperity, and loyalty. At the same time 'he emphatically pointed out that the Nationalists would not tolerate any amending Bill. Then came the couutennove of the Nationalists against the Ulster Volunteers, and the creation of a large armed force by the Nationalists to maintain Home Rule. This extreme moaslire practically made the north of Ireland a camp of two hostile forces, winch the a'-cident of a moment mig'lit bring into conflict. It is obvious that tiie leaders had a delicate task, and the danger of a terrible civil war is hanging over tiie land. On June 23, Lord Crewe, in the House of Lords, introduced the Amending Bill based en the proposals made by the Premier in March as stated above. Briefly, the proposals were these: The counties of Ulster, including the county boroughs of Belfast and Londondeny, may contract out of the scheme of Home Rule by a bare majority to!.'. Six years after the Jirst meeting of the Irish Parliament, say in July, I*2l, tee. excluded counties would enter tiie Home Rule scheme, unless the electors of Great Britain at the preceding election decided otherwise. Two general elcctions stand between Ulster and inche - ion. Xot two possible general elections, but two absolutely certain general elec-tions--and there may he more, i'jc form of exclusion proposed by the Government is very simple. The Ulatc.i counties arc themselves to decide. They are to vote for or against exclusion. The term of exclusion is to be six years from the first meeting of the Irish Parliament. This gives ample time to test by experience the actual working of the Irish Parliament, and full opportunity for the electors of the United Kingdien to pronounce whether or no the exe'asiim shall come to an cud. In introducing this Bill, Lord C-n-v.e stressed tin. fact that the Government would givi> the most careful consideration to sn,amendments. It was also intimated that thi! second reading of the Until" Rule Mill would be deferred until the Amendiug Hill was disposed of. It is a matter of ureal regret that the Unionist parly at once developed determined hostil'ly to the Amending Bill instead of tr.ir.g to make the best of it as desired by tiie Government. Sir Edward Carson's immediate reply to the introiluetion of tt:e Hill was to appeal to the sympathiser.; to give Ulster active and determined

siijipoit ill Mic stnisHli'. and thi*. in turn. ; .j-iinvl mi (In- Nationalist* in tln'ir cll'orts to raii-c fun.!.- ami enurjt an iiniK'd force of National \"<*311111-<-'•'■ ~. It is imt siirpriMiin;. therefore, that in tlie early sluo-es of the debate, l.nrl Hal-bury should have ciiiiMdeivd it u:'--vnt iin.l necessary for suiiiethin;; to la: done to avoid civil war. <>n .Inly *;!'-. tin- Aini-ndiri- Hill jm-M-.l 1',,., sreorl •..■iiiliiiK sta",c, and then iU real trouhl ■■•■ commenced in committee. Lord Lambidowne idcliiicd to puaraiitoc that Uic.tv vvouM In' no ilvi! war. his amendment ominiiiL! tin- film' limit bi-'in"- carried y LIS io :i'.i, am! Lord Kelbornc'.s amen 1nii'iii oiiiiuinn' ('lslor from tlio poll iie,ar<lili£,' exclusion being i.lso carried riy ii. very larcro majority. f>n Friday lasi, tin- House of Lords completed the process; of re-casting the Kill which has

lici-.ii practically cut to piccos. Yet, Mr V.'iir-ito.-i Churchill is hopeful that a .■'rtlli'inoiit will be reached to which both Houses will contribute. It may ho ths.t the with is father to the thought, b;;i ' it is cisconeerting to iind that Lord Lansdowiie considers that matters have arrived at such a pass that it ia impossible to guarantee what will happen in the next, few weeks. In view of the full preparations that have been made for civil war, the outlojk is decidedly critical, added to which a section of the Press is doing its worst to hasten the ei-i-is. That the Nationalists are as de. fermined as ever on the question •>( Home Rule, is abundantly evident, and if a peaceful settlement is to be reached, it will need all the tact and statesmanship of the party leaders to bring it I about. For thirty years this burning question has agitated the United Kingdom, anil it will be a great blow to English and Irish statesmanship if in the end the two countries are plunged info the throes of a civil war that will be a standing disgrace, to the political leaders of the time, and a source, of unjustifiable bloodshed. W'mt will happen with regard to the army, will be n secondary consideration. All rational people must earnestly hope that when the Government has to consider the amendments made by the House of Lordß a way out af the difficulty [may he made clear and that both sides I will at last take every possible means of averting a conflict and securing a I compromise, thereby upholding the traj ditions of the, past which appeal to them I with telling force to-day.