IRELAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1918, Page 5

IRELAND.

GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ATTACKED, CONCILIATORY MEASURES URGED. GOVERNMENT DENIES CHARGES. London, July 29. In the House of Commons, Mr. Dillon, in moving a resolution condemnatory of the Government's Irish policy, declared that the Irish were holding back from the war because they believed the Government was determined to break faith with Ireland, and that conscription would be imposed upon' Ireland in order to torpedo Home Rule. Mr. Dillon suggested a settlement of the Homo Rule question througli the agency of President Wilson.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

Received July 30, 8.43 p.m. London, July 29. An Irish debate arose in the House of Commons on Mr, Dillon's oration drawing attention to the staite pf Ireland and condemning the Government's policy. Mr. Dillon said he felt justified in raising the question as a war issue, which, if it remained unsettled, would ■be a source of weakness and embarrassment to the Empire at the Peaice Conference. Britain accepted tha principle of a league of nations, which could not bo created unless Brit&iji was prepared to submit to the judgment of civilised mankind, and in this the Irish question was involved. The Nationalists had struggled to save a Constitutional movement and to bring Ireland into the wg.r, but the Government had done everything in its power to drive her out. The Government instituted a system of universal coercion in its decision to apply conscription, which was ill-advised, the resnlt beng the tying up of many troops in Ixeland. tenor demanded that the Government should attempt conciliation. If tihe Government had not betrayed Mr. Redmond, Irish soldiers would be in ever-increas-ing numbers. How could Britain claim she was fighting to free the subject races wlrile Ireland was fettered by the tyranny of military government?

Ireland believed! that the Hoine Eule Act would be treated as a scrap of paper. German plots in Ireland had succeeded in depriving Britain of Irish troops, compelling large garrisons to be retained. These plots would have failed ignominiottsly but for thegnethods of the Government and the War Office. Sir E. Carson, had said that the situation in Ireland was desperate, and if the Government persisted in its present policy friendly settlement would become impossible. Mr. Billon suggested that the Government should a;sk America for a scheme of settlement. He was prepared to accept the verdict of a jury of Americans appointed by President Wilson. Mr. Shortt (Chief Secretary) denied the charges, contending that it was the Nationalists, and not the Government, who were responsible for Kinking matters worse. The Government had been compelled to take strong measures, as tho country was in a state of sedition. A <x>mplete military system, skilfully organised, had been discovered in the west and south, secretly importing explosives, while instructions had been circulated how to destroy bridges and communications and cut railways. The situation •was improving, and Ireland was exceedingly prosperous.

Received July 30, 11.45 p.m. London, July 3CT Mr. Shortt, continuing, said that illegal drilling had practically disappeared. There were still hidden printing presses, which were very difficult to find, spreading seditious literature, but the Government was stamping out these as fast as it could. He hoped that as Ireland became more peaceful something would be done to secsre home rule, which the whole of the United Kingdom demanded a year ago. The measure wouldn't pass a general election to-day. Mr. Asquith said the debate was a further proof of the supreme and overwhelming importance of securing a settlement of the Irish question. It was the dying Parliament's duty to put the question on a better basis for its successor. The Conscription Act aggravated the Chief Secretary's difficulties by creating an atmosphere which shifted the balance of political opinion and temporarily political power from ths constitutional to the revolutionary painty. This was a serious state of things. He appealed to the Government, in the interests of the Empire and the Allies, to try even at the eleventh hour to find a settlement. He also appealed to Nationalists and Ulstermen to join in the common recruiting platform. Apparently the Dominion representatives were unwilling to consider the problem. If that was so, probably President Wilson would also be overcrowded with war matters, and the House of Commons would have to make another effort at settlement. Mr. Devlin said the Nationalists had done their share. Ulster had sent 58,000 recruits, whereof 20,000 were Nationalists. The rest of Ireland provided 05,000, whereof about 10,000 were Unionists. — Press Association. Mr. Dillon's resolution was defeated by 245 votes to 105—tPress Assoc.