HOME RULE BILL.

Evening Star, Issue 17316, 1 April 1920, Page 4

HOME RULE BILL.

THE COMMONS DEBATE. ASQUITH TALKS PLATITUDES. PRACTICAL BONAR LAW ANSWERS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.' LONDON. March 31. In tho Commons the Irish debate was resumed. Mr.Asquith disagreed with the view that order must be restored before constitutional changes could bo considered.. He expressed the opinion that the root of the mischief would not be touched until, by wide reforms in tho system of government, the, general co-operation of Irishmen is enlisted in the enforcement of law. He recalled his pledge that tho vast majority of the people of Ireland should an Irish Legislature, with an Irish Executive, subject to necessary safeguards for Imperial supremacy and. , tho protection of the Irish minority. Replying to an interruption by Mr Bonar Law, Air Asquith said that his pledge involved the grant of a Parliament to the whole of Ireland. The Bill was cumbrous, costly, and unworkable. It had not been demanded or supported by any section of Ireland. He suggested that the Home Rule Bill should bo retained, but amended in some most vital particulars, as, for example, that the powers of the Irish Parliament and Executive under the Act should be enlarged so ns to give them practically a dominion status: though he admitted that the geographical contiguity of Ireland made an important difference in her position, particularly in the military sense, from the position of the Dominions. Mr Asquith also suggested extensive financial adjustments and countv option in Ulster. "

Mr Bonar Law emphasised that the Government had been compelled to introduce the Bill at present, because otherwise Mr Asquith s Home Rule Act would automatically have come into operation. He said that Ulster must not be brought under the Dublin Parliament, except by her own free-will. The Bill was intended to give Ireland the largest measure of Home Rule compatible with British national security. The pledges given by Mr Asquith’s suggestion did not * mean Dominion Home Rule, the essence of which was the Dominions’ control of their fighting forces, whereas Mr Asquith proposed to reserve the armed force’s connection of the Dominions with the Empire. This depended upon the Dominions, and, if anvone chose to-morrow to say: ‘ e \\ e will no longer remain part cf the Empire,” we should not try to force them. Dominion Home Rule meant the right to decide that Dominion’s destiny. This was demanded bv the legal representatives of the Irish people, and for Mr Asquith to say that ho was prepared to give Dominion Home Rule to Ireland must mean nothing less than that he was prepared to give an Irish Re public. There was no difference between honestly granting Dominion Home Rule and openly giving self-determination to the elected representatives of Southern Ireland, lie challenged the Labor!tes to say whether they meant that if the elected representatives of_ Ireland wanted a Republic, tiiey would give them a Republic, BILL PASSES SECOND READING. LONDON, March 31. The Home Rlue Bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons, the voting being 548 to 94. ULSTER IS DIVIDED. LONDON, March 30. Discing the military raids in Londonderry, Tyrone, and Donegal, a number of prominent Sinn Feiners wer,s arrested, including Mr Sweeney, M.P. There are now 70 Sinn i’einers in Londonderry Gaol. There have lately been demonstrations in the form cf the singing of rebel songs at windows. The authorities, fearing" order, have introduced a strong military guard with machine-guns. NEW MAYOR OF CORK. LONDON, March 31. Alderman M‘S winey has been elected Lord Mayor of Cork. He is a Sinn Fein leader, who has been deported and imprisoned several times.