"THE TREATY BROKEN, ERE THE INK WHEREWITH 'TWAS WRIT COULD DRY."

Taranaki Daily News, 29 July 1916, Page 3

"THE TREATY BROKEN, ERE THE INK WHEREWITH 'TWAS WRIT COULD DRY."

To tlie Editor. Sir,—The tone of your leading article on the failure of the Home Rule negotiations is sympathetic and admirable, but there are some phrases in it that, no doubt unwittingly, seem to throw the odium upon Mr. Redmond and the Irish party. For obvious reasons, it i; very difficult for us in New Zealand, particularly now, to get a fair grasp of the position. Let me state it as I have grasped it from a careful study of the cables and of Irish and English papers during the past two years: (I.) In 1014 an Act was placed upon the Statute Book, signed by the King, giving Home Knle to undivided Ireland, to come into operation after the war. An amending Bill was promised dealing with certain counties in Ulster." N T ow, on the strength of this King-sign-ed treaty, Mr. Redmond and the Nationalist Party formed themselves into a band of recruiting sergeants, and canvassed the country, with what admirable result tlie whole world knows. However, a number of influential men throughout the country felt and declared that Mr. Redmond had made a serious„tactieal blunder—that before undertaking the task he should have insisted upon the Home Rule Act coining into active operation; that England was not to be trusted, and that she would break her plighted word with Ireland as she had so often done before. That these were right was made abundantly clear after the formation of the Coalition Cabinet, by the statements of the Tory leaders in tile Parliament and in the press. Sign after sign of this intended perfidy was given day after day, culminating in the appointment as Irish At-torney-General of Campbell, a notoriously violent Orangeman. On the morrow of tliis appointment the rebellion broke out, having as its chief result the opening of the eyes of the whole world to the fact that Dublin Castle rule was no longer to be tolerated; that it was capable of producing, as it had been producing for upwards of a century, misery, starvation, discontent and rebellion. Then Lloyd George, appointed by the Cabinet, suggested to Redmon<f' and Carson, and through these to the whole of Ireland, a compromise which, whatever else may be thought of it, was a tearing up of the scrap of paper—a deliberate repudiation of the treaty of 1-U. bearing tlie King's signature. The terms now suggested were (see Freeman's Journal, June 17): (II.) That llonie Rule should be immediately put into active operation for tlie major part of Ireland, but that the certain counties of Lister included for the time being in the King-signed treaty, should be for the time being excluded. Redmond and Carson, despite the solemn warning of leaders of thought in and out of Ireland, accepted this compromise, which meant, the death of the Irish nation. They overlooked the sad history of Poland's partition, they forgot the wound that has never healed and from which the present war lias sprung —the tearing of Alsace and Lorraine from the bosom of France—they forgot the law of Nature and the essential things of nationhood, and fell down like blind idolatois before the shrine of Peace-af-any-price. Redmond and Carson signed the suicidal treaty of June, but only to be doubly humiliated for their weakness. (ill.) The Bill brought down by Mr. Asquith would give Home Rule to the major part : of Ireland, but would leave the certain Ulster counties permanently out. Read my statements in (I.), (II.) and (ill.) am! tell me, do yon wonder that 1 have headed this letter with, the line of Davis on the violated Treaty of Limerick, or that, 'tienrember Limerick!" was the battle-cry of the Irish Brigade at Fontenoy? Dr. O'Dwver, tlie ablest bishop in Ireland, and Horace Plunket. tlie ablest layman, having secret information of the Cabinet's intention, wrote the letters that were cabled to us this week, with the result that the Irish Party spurned the treacherous oll'er. You, Sir, seem to think that because of the war (everything nowadays seems to be because of the war), Asquith and Lloyd George should not think of resigning. My thoughts run otherwise. Every honorable man and every honorable nation should welcome death before dishonor.—l am, .etc., P. J. POWER.