CALMER TONE IN THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2114, 3 April 1914, Page 7

CALMER TONE IN THE HOUSE.

ULSTER CRISIS. DEBATE ON HOME RULE BILL A HANSARD JPKOOF, incident in the lords. By Telegraph—Press Aeecciatisn—Copyright (Rec. April 2, IE) p.m.) . London, April 2. ..In tlio House of Commons; tlio debate on tlio second reading of the Hoaus Rule Bill was continued. A calmer tone now pervades tho House, Tlio Home Secretary (Mr. K. Ivl'licnna), speaking in the fcloiVse- of Commons, said that Sir Art-tar Paget informed the Premier tlist the oniy question put by the General to the officers was whether they war# ready to place duty before all other considers tions. It had not. been Sir Arthur Paget's intention that they should put this question to He announced that officers domiciled in Ulster would bo temporarily exempted in the event of operations, but that others declining duty wouU incur dis-; missal.

Sir. John Dillon (Nationalist.) said 'the Home Rule Bill bad been defeated yesterday in a spirit of reasonableness and conciliation, tliero "being an evident desire for a" settlement, If that was to bo maintained both sides must drop the Army question. . He added that the Opposition should abandon the proposed Hyde Parle demonstration ou; Saturday next. Mr. W. O'Brien said ho was Sot opposed to the Federal idea as a sdiiition of the difficulty, but his would not. consent to Ulster's exclusion, fho ivliole of Ireland was opposed 't<i the Government's proposed Solsttioji, Sir Stanley Buelimaster (SolicitorGeneral), in tile course' of his speech, said that hoivevar strong opinions on both sides of the Houso might be, tlrero oaght to be some common ground on which, without the abandonment of aiiy pledge or principle, some reasonable arrangement could bo mado to enable the principle of the. Bill to bo carried out, ThsIrish movement was tto longer a conspiracy to bo crushed out. "It is a constitutional demand wliieli bfflievers in constitutional government cannot disregard." Sir Mark Sykes (Unionist) urged the exclusion of Ulster, pending the completion of a federal schomo, Ail-elec-tion now would be won by either side to its .own ruin.. If the Liberals wtiii, they would liavo a maiifVito to 1 eoprfio Ulster, and if the Unionists won, they would have a mandate to thwart the Irish hopes of tho last thirty years— now on tho eve of frurtkm—and, sooner or later,_ there would be bloodshed. The Nationalists had gons to Drisit-ft before for their convictions. Ho .appealed to tho House that if there Was a chance of a settlement net to iiw.ko uso of a commanding political position and press 'good men too far. Tho Rev. C. Silvester Horf f (Libera!} said,' that he believed that Home Rule would strengthen the people's power, and'prove an important ; we;ifeon against the priestly power ill Ir&ltfiwL , TO SELECT COMMITTEE, (Roc. April 2, 943 p.m.) London, April 2. ' Lord Hugh Cecil has given notico oj motion to refer the Ilomo Rule Bill to a Select Committee of thirty members, who will bo asked to i'ranio suggestions for the exclusion of tho wholo or part' of Ulster. EAST .FIFE BY-ELECTION. London, Awii 1. Polling for' the by-election "at fficist Fife (Mr. Asquith's seat) will take placeon April 15. ALL THE PIFFEiRENOfc.

WHAT HAPPENED TO A HANSABD PROOF. (Roc. 4-Pril 2, i 0.45 p.m.) London, April 2. Replying to Viscount Midbion, lord Haldano (Lord Chancellor) admitted altering the Hansard report of his. speech by adding tlio word "iliinietliate," making him _ say "no order friil bo issued for the 'immediate 5 ' coorcion of Ulster." He did so to prevent misa&cfcr&tamSiig, because the nows-pa-po-rS had wrenched the ecntenco froqi the 'context., and given his Bpeech a- different- meaning. Lord Lansdowno { Onion Leader),.commenting, said that the- House understood from tlio speech that no orders for the coercion of Ulster were conteftplated. It was a riiclo shock to find that' this unqualified state-meat had been altered.

PRESS OPINION ON THE DEBATE, j "RTJB OF THE SISTER STATICS."- ' m , - London, April 1. i ,® i™ 1 Salette" states that a belief m the possibility of a seitlcnwut is to be found el-iieiiy iu tJie Jliii- ' lstcnal ranks. White niaijy Unionists favour Federalism hi. principle, tic majority are sceptical of its.practkabliitv. llio general feeling is that tlje fight, should proceed on. the. old lines. (Rec. April 1 i 9.43 p.m.) ' London, AoriJ 2. The "Standard," referring to" tlio rob of tho sister States of the Empire, pleads that they (the States) .Oiouki forbear to criticise eiicii other's internal affairs. Jt admits that there is i-ui Imperial aspect to tho Homo Rule que:*; tion, yet, apart from the (fefiaite' Orange and IvatioiiaMst olmwjils in the, Dominions, there is Ho repraduotton of 1 the strong party division ivtoii exists in tlio Motherland. " When tie overseas ! politician or newspaper declares for or against our policy, it is aatair to say that that represents tho view of Australia, Canada* or South Africa." THE MYSTERY OF THE FANNY, j COASTGUARDS ON THE WATCH. (Rce. April 3. 0.8 a.m.) London, April 2. Tlio police and coastguards in Ulster have been ordered- to watch for tlje ship Fanny (whose departw-ft fr-nnl Copenhagen with rifles Oft hoard is wrapped in mystery). Copenhagen, April 2. A Customs officer states that lie removed tho Fanny's papers. An: Englishman on beard attempted to bribe him to keep silent. Tho vessel soiled without papers, Hamburg advices a.lleg-s that the rifles were destined for South America. PRAYERS £08 IRELAND, "Times'' aud Sydney -'StUL'' Services). (R6c. April 2, 8.80 a.m.) LoriSan. April Tho Archbishop of Canterbury (J.U. Rev. Randall iSa-imli-O-K), ill his lias tor letter to tho dioces?, suggests that the clergy, should on Pfilw guii-ds;;; teite the congress tieia to rarasabw W M6-U".

prayers tiro perplexities and anxieties relating to Ireland. STOCK EXCHANGE EASIER, FROM BErris.il POLITICAL OUTLOOK. Londen, April 1. Tho Stock Exchang-p is cheerful .owing to easier snoney arid the better politic;>l outlook. Imperial Consols are quoted at £70 10s., as against £78 last Wednesday, A PUAIN IRISHMAN'S VIEW. "EVERYBODY MUST CONCEDE' SOMETHING." (By George A. Birmingham, ia tlio "Daily Jfali.") Ifr. George A, Bii'mtagliaittj tlio wel]kuown atltlior,—iimonicsi' his -books ore Gold" ai,(l "The M Hand of ulstercontributes an Interesting article to the London "Daily Jlail" on tho subject of the Ulster i question. It. is tlio now of "a plain Irishman." After years of confused wrangling (he says) we liiiv-o got santosy-hsre, and for eo msiftli wo ought to-be devoutly tbankfnl, It is now clear to ovarjone that if the present Bill becomes law wo shall be obliged to run a steam-roller over North-East Ulster. I 3*?avg all the. other consequences of this disfastraus policy of coercion out <?f the count ami ask just oho qttosiiaii about it. Co'iild anything be worse for the rest «F Ireland tliau to woglra w'Jiafc ought to te a glad new eijncli of national life with a WoM-soaked ITister wider licr heel? Suppose that tlis roller lias dolio its work i aiifi what is h v ft of our northern manI hood is flattened out, what have we to look to but centuries of bitter -strife. I nourished ou ineffaceable mwiiories of oruet force? No Irishman who loves his country wants that. Tfireo Ways oat, What else is possible? It appears that there ®re threo ways out of the dilemma. Thfrro Ss the suggestion that Ulster Should l>t. left out of the- Bill. To the patriotic Irishman this is west distasteful. We are one people, Imwevw we differ in religion, eharaciot, aiul outlook upon life. (Sod made lis one when He set the seas for the boundaries «f mtr island, Afid, praofcleajiy, the vest of Ireland cannot do without, tho northern counties. In the ealniefr times of the beginning of this strife Ulster itself Tecognised this. But it is possible alsft !<i exclude Ulster for a time, leaving hfif tho chance of coining in -after jj ilsetl number of years; or to include Ulster for a time, leaving it in her power to scceile, to so cut, after ft i feed number of years. 'The latter plan, that advocated fjj- Sit Horace Pfcinkett, ■ seems to l)fl tlio better of tlve two for many reasons, but there at# great d.iffi-' cutties in tho yroy of carrying it out. The chief difficulty is a moral one, The plan makes fi hi,ils., a very hijjh, demand ■upon the patriotism of Irishmen of both parties. 8n stißEulativPly high is th>s <ki.na.nrt that only a man wli-fl is himself very lef .wsttltl have dared to Propose it. Sir. iletlmoiul and liis followers are asked to sacrifice a party ti-i----iiinph a.t tbp very womefit when it seems assured. Their rears of patient leyalty to tho Eotlish tiberiils are to go for iiothin}. The Rachel for the love of whom thov seryecj is to he kept from them and o- T.tah given into their arms instead. They have supported a Liberal policy for which thev cared .little, l.iave even passc-d Liberal Bills which they lieartily dislilseii., Cap ttev be exneetesl te forgo thejT rewnrdf It is asVidg a denl to a«lc tlus' ef them. Yet. it is possible that human lUltsire has this much good in it, and: flint patriotism may prtive ntronper than parft spirit aad personal pride. Sir Horace fltmkett believes m the liossilnlify. The- very proposal of 'his plan is a Snrsimi Conla tittered frtvw the stops of the high altjir of nahlo faith.

What pf Ulster? The demand made upon the Ulstermen is no less severe,- Tfccy are asked to a«iiuesce in the trying of an experiment which tiicy beiiiive to be not only mi?chjeyotts but Uglily : ''v'utaiij;flrouS,. Ehey have mad? sacrifices. Qiid are prepared to ■inake still greater-:oues. Can v;e expect theiH to stultify iJi-imfsely'o.S) to* nullify all they have .said these years, to forget that they iiave been iv»cked and Scorned, that ■tiifTtaughtef of fools has crackled round them lite' burning thorn tmte a,'pot? To go back upon their. convictions now, at tho very jnomcnt- wlie!i at last tlioy liaive petsUaded (lie world that they art sincere? It is expecting ft greftt -d-Sal of human nature to expect tiiis. Yet there is one consideration which. way weigh with the- UMe-ruian. If lie forces -a, compromise upon tie' Government he has demonstrated his- pewer to pwtefit hirnseU' against fl.tiy kind of liulls'iiig. If -an iinitiessfty st-feug English Go'S'ofnnieSt, with all the forces of tho Grown at its command, with ft largo and obedient majority in the House' of Commons, with a, House of lords rendered im-patent—if ■this Government shrinks from the task of eoerciftg Ulster. it is certain that Irish Government wltl eves tie in a- ptefc lion to override the will even of tho city of Belfast. A successful opposition to the present Bill would prove that the teasojis for Tfisistinjr are largely baseless, If Ulster tins shown heri-eif so strong that the United Kingdom cannot compel her, she fs assuredly too •strong to ho hlilKed by Ireland. This thought ought to make it easier for Ulstermen to agree to a compromise. Aft Appeal, But even where all is said that can be said in mitigation of tho extreme difficulty of giving way even a little., it ro mains hard to expect it, and the- msp&al ill the end must be to the higher feelings, lovp of country and desire fo-v peace-. Still mote is this the case when we consider, the third possiWlo way of avoiding ■theextreme disaster ,*t steara-Mlliii-g Ulster iii a very remarkable letter pmv iis-hed in "The T1 flics," "A Parnollite" suggests that Iff. Jtednirmd should agree to drop the present Bill, and that all partifi.? should confer together and-devise a no! her ineasiwe. ideally this plan ivofil-d surely be the host; hut to a'ro ordinary men, all of its, not saints. Too much, it. to nio, is. asked of Jti'. Kednismd and his party. To lose- ehei . is Irail enough; Tsut not even -to set Lenli in. is worse. .Too much is asked of Ulster. Having a hundred timf-s that she will not. have Home B'ule, how esn she Ire exneeted to help in drawing up aBo ill e Ifnle Bill? Sir Horace rhmtoiS's siittgestion is far ir.ore pi'-ac-ti.ca!)ie tiinn that. I Jiave -saM no-tiiing about fh» sopi'ifices roejnifpd of TSnsliislinUi-n, Bents, and Welshmcfl by Sir Uorace .WMiikeft's- plan. The Government must be nre-havCsl f-o lieiw the reps'oaiiji of actual disTioiioin'. It stands pledged -and teinvd >n ciwv, eeivabJo way to nri.ss- this Bill. It has arcentei! and used to the full tlie sumsort of the SaEioiiiil.ist ineinliers. Can it ve* fuse to pay the twice? It is now for the Government far less a fi'-iest'on if narfy advantage (li;'.k fl raattnr n-f ti.e-nt honour- Yet it seems certain that very high-uiindtd men. touched by lnfly e-HVotion. will occasionally" cdiii't it to «urrfiider even lioDoiif. Pafrjotism make-s -swell a clefnaTuT now. Of the Ownosit'ifiM l"-s is :i.4-"d. only that its members should forgo Hio prospect, of n »arty triumph.. The TTnionists' hav<r wt the Governwent -a T i ote, Its can any, *f the.v like, "You iiiu-st eHlvor shoCi-t the or drop you? B'i'l and resisi'i." T'te fi-overmnftni ran be -forcw? t«"imn-nl-e itself nn isnc horn or other of the Aiknima, WiH the Op"tisiti<m -acre" i'o forsro the ftdvijntazp? Store is asted of Irishmen, Nntinnnlifct ai" l Unionist, luit is risked of Elis'lislintcsitoo., W-e hrn- all nf _i;s nt a nf the w<>y*, with S eluiiee ia make lw»tnr<>i>n something great, and. some-thing wjsel-i t.s mean. .

Move pleasure, move leisure bv cheekina toiip *<;!* t.h>s Ba?.t( t r, Vio inlt for it, clwek on Mil «r ««#., recive m'sd ilellvei' ii'. Don't (May lit! last moment. Roe us da-v -before The N.Z. Ks(.r,Co., Ltd., 87-S1 C'«stoinhfl asn <3 ti ay.—A cl rt.