ESTABLISHED 1866. The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1915. SIR EDWARD CARBON'S RESIGNATION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 251, 22 October 1915, Page 4

ESTABLISHED 1866. The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1915. SIR EDWARD CARBON'S RESIGNATION.

it is a curious coincidence that Sir Edward Cttison, who just previously to the outlreak of war was engineering a course of action which, if persisted in, would have meant the plunging of IreUnd into civil war, should be the first man to desert the British National Government when, things do not happen to he going too well. His action is a strange and fignifiefnt commentary upon the bona fides of his much-vaunted loyalty and patriotism. His ex< use is that he disapproves of the action of the Government with regard to the Near Eastern policy; but even if mistakes have been made this is surely no time for quarrelling over past errors, real or imaginary, or eiying over tpilt milk. If MY Half our, -v.ho was just as strong an 'anti-Homo Ruler as Sir Edward Carson, although, to his credit, he took no part in "sooling on" the narrow-mindc-d sectarians of Ulster into the desperate udventure of defying the Crown and declaring civil war, can subordinate his private opinions to a consideration for the public welfare, Sir Edward Carson could very well have done the same. Tt monies ill indeed from a man who was wever weary of hinting that he had some scrt of patent right in loyalty to come forward now as the herald of some forthcoming split in the Cabinet. We cannot help .suspecting, despite his declaration that "there had I een absolutely no peisonal disagreement." that the chief motive for Sir Edward's retirement is n desire to stab Mr Winston Churchill in the back. Mr •Churchill, it may bo remembered, was Sir Edward Carson's most vigorous and foimidable opponent whenever the H( me Rule question came up for discussion, and ye have not forgciten how the Carsonites at Belfast, following, no doubt, hints or ciders from I heir champion in the House of Commons, broke tip Mr Churchill's meetings and threatened that gent lemon's very life. Tt is. generally understood that Mi Churchill was primarily responsible fo. tlic TWd.melles 'V;nmpaign being initiated, and new that its chart-os «f sue -ess nve more — or, at leash seem to bo more—dubious than over, Sir Ed wan? Carson has seized the opport unity to retire from the Cabinet, hoping, ?»y giving prominence to the Dndanelies faih.re—-or delayed fiiccs«!s—ami intertw's-iing it with the TJj.lkan pioblem. to disci edit [Mr <.;hrrc}iill for e"vr h: Uk> cyos of I 'iu> British pr-onlo. Tliis theory may ! rot leprovod, when wo laio.v the exact i-iic-umsta-neos attc-ndi'.ig Lho retircmont of Sir Edward darsi.-n, to bo correct in dot.-wl : lint wo have a shrewd susj.-icior that it is not vo-v f;ir from tlio acttia) truth. '" I

IK- his !•«>{»sons what fu-y .may Wa-

Edward Oarson. in quitting the Cabinet at a critical time like the present, has laid himself open to the charge of placing personal vanity, tnibitiqn, and ill-feeling sibovc- considerations of loyalty and patriotism. Tn this, however', he is only acting up to the evil reputation which no had ;ttained previously to the outbreak j of war, when k>. openly preached the gospel of sectarian hatred, veiled sedition, and contempt for the law. When the Carsonian gospel of "No Home Rule" w.is being preached its advocates never tired of assuring the English people that if over the Empire fc und ii self at war the Nationalists would throw off all pretence of loyalty and openly create disturbances in Ireland which would injuriously affect British interests, s< me of them going so far as to hint that the KedVnondito political erganisatiens in Ireland were meiely tliiniy-disguised secret societies whose cbject it was to undermine and completely overthrow all British dominance of the country.. How' oor-clu-sivel/ and patriotically the Nationalists have, by their behavior since the war began, gi\ren the lie to these infamous insinuations we all kr.ow full well. Not once during the war has t;ny leading Nationalist indulged in acriirorious criticism of the Govern- j ment's plans ar».d method)- On the ' contrary, such mischief-making in the way of asking questions calculated to embarrass the Government as there has been has. come,, in ths.main, from Sir .Edward Oarsicm's old political fj iends and allies in the two Houses. From the poiat of view of true patriotism Mr Redmond's moderation and abstinence from any action calculated to raise internal differences in the House or in the country stand out in bcld and honcj {ille contrast to the unpatriotic course adopted by the boastful "loyalist" of July. 1914. and present-day woald-be wrecker of the National Government.'