The Dominion. FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1914. THE ARMY AND THE CIVIL POWER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2018, 27 March 1914, Page 6

The Dominion. FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1914. THE ARMY AND THE CIVIL POWER.

— *— — L - The political situation in England has probably never been more critical since the Revolution of 1(>S8 than it is at the present tiirtc. The twentieth century, though only fourteen years old, has keen crowded \vitk events of far-reaching importance to the nation, and the British Constitution, which is the result of a process of evolution coveriflg. hundreds , of years, has now been thrown into the melting-pot. The Souse of-Lords has been shorn of tench of its m- . cient power and influence, a,nd is about to be reconstituted on njodcra lines, after a _ prolonged struggle with the dominant party is the House of Commons. r | v he political unity of the United Kingdom is being broken down, and the bitter struggle which the_ Irish question has created has so stirred up the passions of the people that the country has been brought to the verge of civil war. Britain has entered upon a nwv . era of her history, and it is quite impossible to predict with any confidence what will bo the outcoroG of the period of intense nnsetlfcntenfc through which the country is mm passing. Pkofersor Poiaasb states that the era of real ''splf-goyovawicnt was ushered in by the Ifct'olulion of IGSB, which caused a readjustment in the relations between Crown ami Parliament, and since that momentous turning-point in our national story the party system and Cabinet Government have been elaborated. Party gradually "supplanted the Crown as the determining factor in British Govcrnureiit, and the Cabinet became the executive eootfnittee of the party possessing & majority

~ in tho House of Commons." The ■ J . fact that we arc living in the midst of the momentous struggle which is ■■ now taking place in Britain,-and of th-3 equally important, though at the f moment less acute, political and social movements which are at work in all British communities, makes ■ it very difficult fur us to form a reliable estimate of the significance of these events when considered in their 1 relation to other landmarks in our i history. We cannot so a the movements of our own time in their true perspective; but there can bo little doubt that the great constitutional changes which are now being made in Brit-sin will rank in importance with such events as the signing of Magna Charta, the Model Parliament of 1295, the Revolution of 1688, the loss of the American colonics, '' and the rise of the overseas Dominions. The Norman Conquest, the Wars of the Roses, the Reformation, and the ' Puritan Revolution caused unkeavals which shook the nation to its very s, foundations, and should probably 3 be placed in a class by themselves; 1 hut the present generation has witnefised social and political dcvelop- > meats which eannot fail to have an enormous influence in shaping the future of the British race. The trouble' which has arisen in the Army in connection with the Home Rule crisis has developed into a situation tin paralleled in" modern times, and it is not surprising that 1 tfej documents relating to the recentmilitary movements in Ireland have created a sensation throughout tho United Kingdom. The rumour that tho Secretary for War (Colonel Seely) handed in his resignation now proves to be emit?, correct; but Mb, Asat/iTfl declined to accept it on the ground that to do so would be- "ungoftefws and unjust." This i&cident gives an indication of tho extreme gravity of the position. It: - : would be indeed, deplorable if a feci-' ing of mutual distrust should bo allowed to .grow up between the 1 : Army -arid the civil power, and the supremacy of Parliament must of ■ course- be maintained at all costs. The outlook is so .serious that -Chore ■ is certainly ft'o need to intensify the , crisis by reckless suggestions of a ■ - class War or attempts to interpret the action of the' o-ffcers as a deliberate plat to humiliate the Government.. The resignations were simply ; the outcome of the detei'minatioiTi of , the officers _concerned not to fight against their . fellow-countrymen in' Ulster. Whatever th© legal position may he, the attitude o-f these men is fully explained by the fact that soldiers possess the same kind p of human _ nature as other people, and there is to need to look for any : siteistcr . motives. The following words of General Gotog give a clear-. and frank statement of the case' from his point- of view :— "I have » signed guarantee that under , no circuwstarice.s shi.ll Ibo tiSCst to fore*' Some Eitte upon Ulster. ( I am willini? . to undertake ordinary duty, such as thei pwtwtion <rf Jifc a'tid property, and tho preservation of order, tot if it earns to ) civil was I would rather fight foe Ulster ■ • thart against." i It would -he foolish to pretend that J sa-eh ■ a declaration docs not disclose i ■ a- very gravo state of affairs, tsu't there is fio excuse whatever far the I mischievous artcl misleading inter- : j ] pretations _ which have been placed . upon the incident -both, in and out ■ ot Rarliameat, Those iii'terprcta-' tionsare .plainly designed fe■confuse the. situation and serte the -political' ends D-t the -Government and its ■: al&s. Golomel Seely hiittsijif ad--; ,-.- mit-s that'the honestly be-..' lieved that a- plan existed to ove;r-. ]■■ whelm Ulster by a StU'-priso attack, : ■ and when it wa? iriad-o dear that they' we're only askccl to support the civil : ■ power they expressed their.. willing* - ness to d.o so-, it is impossible to imagine that the Governnient really contemplate a eeup d'etat in Ulster ■ by means of a* combined naval -and mititary movcment> as. some newspapers predict. . S-ueh a step at the 1 present j'unctnre wov'ii4 be sheer madness, and the consequences, would almost 'Certainly ho disastrous; hxxt • if the Government docs not mean to : use the Army for the coercion of . Ulster, the concentration of troops in the North of Ireland -see-ms to have been ttttnecessa.rily- provocative-; It was ho'ttnd to evoke strong resentment, and Was diametrically opposed to the. declaration- in tho , Speech.that ~' In a matter in which' Hie hope.? and the to'fs o.f so mahj- of .my subjects .are ' keenly emieom-?.d, anil . which, imiess ' liiwifllea nosf with foresight judgment, | JUUI in the spirit ojF msriiuat 'concession, ~, tiirea.fen» grave fu|)ito <li-ffi«nJtiß», it is . : myt, ni-ost earnest _ wish that the good- >'■ will ftjicl oa-OpeVatiou of men of all parties and weeds ln.ay Ijeal- dissension anil ■; lay the foiniaatioas of a lasfhig nient. It is satisfactory to have a-i! authoritetivo denial of the raniours of Royal interference in the Home Rule problem. The leaders of both parties ; appear to be agreed that' H.ib . Majesty's name should not be dragged into the controversy. No d-ottbt the Kings is following the course of events with the greatest interest-, but Col-qsel- &E-&I/Y is ah!e. to state- positively that the suggestion that he has taken any initiative in this matter is ■ absolutely witfefflt foundation. The

It is satisfactory to have m authoritative denial of the rumours of Royal interference in the Home B.ftlo problem. The leaders of both parties appear' to he agreed thai' His Mmbsty's name should nofc.be dragged into the controversy. No datibt the Kings is following the course of events with the greatest iniopesfc, but Colonel Sivivi/Y is able, to state' positively that the suggestion that he has taken any initiative in this matter is absolutely witkfflt foundation. The developments of the next few days will fee awaited with intense interest and with grave concern,