THE POSITION OF ULSTER

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2164, 1 June 1914, Page 4

THE POSITION OF ULSTER

Sir, In a. rccont articlo a contentporary condemns the attitudo taken up by tho men of Ulster with regard to Homo Uulo ior Ii eland, and speaks about tho taking up "arms against tho will ,of tho majority." It seems to be,an accepted theory with, certain writers that a majority must always have entirelv its own way regardless of the wishes ol' tho minority, however big or however powerful. Surely nothing could be mors erroneous, especially if tho majority have any desire for peace, which tho 'Asquith Government claim to have. Tho Writer of the articlo in question continues: ''Moreover, the majority, heedful of minority claims, is maintaining an oponrdoor for a compromiso that will .avert, eivi'.' war." Lot us consider what this "open door" lias meant so far. Mr. Asquith laid upon the tablo of the House certain amendments to tho original Bill which in a condensed form were that Ulster; if slio so desired, as shown by a vote to :that-effect, was to bo permitted to refriiiin out of tl:o operation of tho Home "Rule ' Bill for six years, after which period "slio was to bo passed automatically under the heels of her enemies. Such a. proposition was unworthy of consideration as a solution of tho difficulty. This was tho proposition, however, which Mr. Asquith proposed as a basis "for "isctt'cment, and which Mr. Bonar Law very properly described as "a sentence of death with a stay of execution ior six years." Mr. Bonar Law, continued by saying: "In other words, tho Ulstermen arc to destroy, their organisation, to leave their fortress, to. como out into the open on this summons from tho enemy, which, in effect; says: 'When you are weak you will be compelled. to do that which today"when 'you are strong you cannot be compelled to do.' " This, howovcr, wa3 not tlio only, way that.Mr., Asquith and party, "mainlained an opon door." When Mr. Bonar oil behalf of the Unionist party, said ho' would abide by the result of a referendum on this question, Mr. Asquith ...made pretended advnnccs to Sir Edward Carson, and upon receiving frank, straight-forward answers, he shiiffled, as he is always sluifflintc. In cther_ words, after luring tho Opposition into making rerv serious concessions pn tho pretext that lie was acting in good faith, tho Prime Minister shabbily withdrew from tho discussion without making any serious proposal, and lie is a professed friend of peace. It should be remembered, moreover, that Mr. Bonar Law did not ask for a dissolution He did not ask' to deprive tho Ministers of their princely, salaries, to retain -which seems to he tlieir only motive. -He merely asked for a referendum on tho ouestion of Home Rule. I entirely disagreo with those who bewail the use of force by Ulster; for in my opinion force such as abortive cohesion, should ho met with force. Moreover, Mr. Asonith and his party, who have apparently sold , their, souls to Messrs. Redmond and Devlin', havo lost their claim for, consideration at tho hands of tho Unionists bv their action in so .doing. The Asquith Government will go down in history as the Government who, for their own personal gain, were prepared to sacrifice the liberties and religion of tho best friends England ever had in Ireland Why should tlio British Army be used to coerce Ulstermen in order to satisfy tho whims and fancies of those who saw fit to cheer a British defeat, during tho Boer War, in the House of Commons? Truly the poet hath said: "A merciful Providence fashioned ! as hollow, . .... ~ . .. : 0'" p\jrpbso-,we -njjjslit our- principles swallow." I might point out that the present Ulster Volunteer mobilisation is not intended as an act of violence, but simply to. insure.their countrymen against-Na-tio'nalist insults; and no force will be used at present unless Nationalists cannot restrain themselves. It seems to me that Mr. Joseph Chamberlain summarised the whole position when.he asked: ".. .. . whether .the interests of Great Britain aro to ho controlled by delegates from Ireland, nominated bv priests, elected by illiterates, and subsidised by tho enemies of this country?"—l am, etc.. : i ULSTER UNIONIST. .