THE INTERVENTION OF ATKINS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 70, 24 March 1914, Page 6

THE INTERVENTION OF ATKINS

While Tommy Atkins shares his hymn-book with the Ulster volunteers, the Government is being hotly attacked in the House of Commons owing to the movement of the troops; and it certainly appears, from to-day's cable messages, th.it Mr. Asquith and his Ministers have not added to their prestige. On their own showing, they allowed their instructions to the officers to be misunderstood, to the extent of drawing forth the first batch of resignations. Then the Government was put in the undignified position of having to explain itself to its officers, in order that the latter might continue to obey in a conditional sort of way. The line of explanation adopted by the Prime Minister and the Minister for War was that the movement of the troops in Ulster was solely to protot Government property (arms and ammunition) and to render any assistance required by the civil power. Mr. Asquith now announces that the movement of the troops has ceased ; and, with their usual opportunism, the opponents of the Government are representing it as having attempted intimidation .in Ulster, and as having failed. The Government has a good cause, but, unfortunately, a hesitant attitude — instanced in the Prime Minister's handling of the referendum question— gives a half-hearted appearance to its active measures, and invites failure and ridicule. Worse still, it tends to harden up the Ulster people. While tho necessity of caution, amid j critical conditions, makes these mistakes understandable, they are none the less to be deplored. In the conflict with the officers, it seems likely that the Government will sink still deeper into trouble, for it is announced that those who have homes or parents in Ulster will be allowed to temporarily resign their commissions. The principle of temporary resignation— a sort of "strike" by officers— is thus admitted, and where will it >>nd? Can officers who resign on conscientious grounds be worse treated than those who happen to have kith and kin in the disturbed area? If, by the Liberal blundering, the Ulster "stalwarts" and the Unionists are hardened in their anarchic tendencips, and refuse any settlement along the lines of exclusion or of a referendum, the Government will apparently be forced back upon the course of passing the Home Rule Bill and resigning before it takes effect. Then, if a Unionist Government is returned, the onus of repealing the Bill and keeping order in Nationalist Ireland, justly enraged, will devolve upon the present disturbers. Should the Nationalists follow Ulster's example and rebelj we wonder whether the officers who now wish to resign will again send in their papers rather than fight in a civil war? Or will they betray their caste and their politics by adher* ing to their business so long as the blood likely to be spilled is only Nationalist Irish?