HOME RULE.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1921, Page 5

HOME RULE.

ACT MOT ACCEPTABLE* - WHAT ARE. THE CONCESSIONS! IRISH- DEMAND TO KNOW, BX- Talegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Jan. 13, 11,35 p.m. London, Jan. 13. The Times’ Dublin correspondent, in a survey of the attitude of Ireland towards the Home Rule Act, states that only an eleventh hour amending Bill will make it acceptable to all sections of the Irish people. Otherwise, in the opinion of both moderate and extreme Sinn Ferners, it is impossible to arrest the drift towards anarchy and despair Hardly anyone, he says, shares Sir Hamar Greenwood’s optimism. Nobody but a few moderate Unionists is willing to give the Act a trial. The current talk of peace and disarmament merely obscures the real issue. Moderate Sinn Feiners, who are willing to come to reasonable and honorable terms, have made common cause with the extremists, as they do not see in the Act any prospect of success. They state they are tired of an arm’slength sparring between the Premier and ■ semi-official and unofficial representatives of Sinn Fein, and now make the important suggestion that the Premier should issue a definite statement of the fiscal and other concessions he is prepared to make. These could then be submitted to a plebiscite of the Irish people, and if accepted, they could then be incorporated into the Act. The • measure would then have every prospect iof success. The correspondent learns on good authority that the Irish Labor Party, which now wields an extremely powerful influence, welcomes the idea, and it is also believed the political leaders are not opposed to it. There is no doubt that without amendment the Act will have little prospect of success.—Aus.Cable Assn.