PRESS COMMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 March 1917, Page 4

PRESS COMMENTS.

London, Mardh 8. The Daily Chrogcle, in a lekder,> 'say*/ that if all parties'liad been willing last} summer to accept a settlement on lines of Mr. Lloyd George's annoumm* nient, it would have been Bottled then* It is too late now. Mr. Lloyd George knows it, and knows that he i» offering what the Nationalists cannot accept, because Ireland will not have a National-' ist withdrawal. The paper emphasises not unjustifiably the barrenness of the Government's attitude. The real blame, it says, lies with last summer's wreck- ! ers. \ The Morning Post's Parliamentary,,, correspondent says that Mr. Asquith's) suggestion of inviting the assistance- ol the Dominions' representatives has not met with a practical response from thi Nationalists. There iB no ground for believing that Mr. Asquith had consulted the Dominion representatives before Ms speech. There is reason to believe that; they are unwilling to be drawn into British domestic politics at a critical stage of the war. The arguments In favor of such an attitude would bs \m\ futable. The Daily Telegraph says it is be- : lieved the Nationalists will enter into active opposition in the hope of forcing a general election. Sixty-five members j followed Mr. Redmond, but Mr. Hfcftjy. six O'Brienitcs, and Mr. Ginnell x»-1 maincd. i The Daily News says that men* of every party must endeavor to avert the dangers which yesterday's events muse precipitate. Mr. Lloyd George's suggested conference is hopeless in view of the wreckage of the previous conference. If i Mr. Redmond's solution proves impos-.j sible of realisation, let the Government endorse Mr. Asquith's proposal. The , assistance of the imperial Conference, may retrieve yesterday's mistake at the eleventh hour. The Daily Express states that Mr.. Lloyd George has taken the strong direct f line on Irish polic.>. Mr. Redmond has . thrown statesmanship overboard. The, debate gives little hope of a settlement. The Government will not neglect to use the Imperial Conference or any promising road to salvation, but Ulster is the crux of the problem. If the upshot i» revolt, Britain is. strong enough to deal with it. The Daily Telegraph says the Government was responsible for last night's \ spectacle. Mr. Lloyd George's offer was a step backwards, not forward. If hn wanted to create resentment in Ireland he could not have chosen'a better way. The result must betto send the Nationalists and their followers to the standard of rebellion. Mr. Asquith's suggestion Is at least hopeful and deserves pronjp* attention. DOMINIONS' DELEGATES HOLD ■ ALOOF. Received March 10, 1250 a.m. London, March 9. Overseas delegates are disinclined to discuss the Irish question, chiefly because the question may come before the Imperial War Council. Some regard tha matter as one for settlement in the British Parliament. The Canadians do not care to be drawn into the matter unless Mr Lloyd George presses for discussion of the problem by overseas representatives.