DEBATE IN COMMONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XL, Issue 9291, 28 April 1920, Page 5

DEBATE IN COMMONS.

(P«r Press Association Copyright.) LONDON, April 27.

In the House of Commons, Lord Robert Cecil drew attention to the state of Ireland. He said the position was more serious than a,t any . time during the last hundred years. Sixteen murders had been committed during the last three weeks, and murders now averaged one per day. This was the absolute collapse of the system of civilisation guaranteeing the lives of citizens: He criticised the wthdrawal of the police from the country districts, and attributed to_ this the' 1 * subsequent lawlessness. There was no coordination between the soldiers and the police. If convictions were not obtainable, the law should be altered with a view of securing fairness to all parties. If necessary, prisoners should | be brought to England for trial, and soldiers should be used to* protect the police. Unless the Government proved its capacity to govern, we should drift through anarchy and humiliation to an Irish Republic. Mr Bonar Law said he regretted the inopportuneness of the present'debate. He pointed out that every weapon of the law in Ireland had been enforced as far as possible. Trials in England would be useless unless evidence could be secured from Ireland. Such trials would be regarded by Irishmen as worse than courts-martial. As regards arrests without trial, he said the system of terrorism was so widespread that it was impossible to get evidence, although, in many cases, the offenders were known. In such circumstances ho defied anyone to say that such persons should be allowed continued liberty to further conspiracies against their fellow-countrymen. As regards the hunger-strikers, the Government was prepared to do anything to prevent their becoming martyrs as long as they were unable to carry on the offences under suspicion of wliich they had been arrested.

Mr Bonar Law paid the highest tribute to Lord French, who had the Government's full confidence.