HOME RULE CRISIS

Manawatu Times, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12753, 27 March 1914, Page 2

HOME RULE CRISIS

CABLE NEWS.

A FRENCH OPINION. PARIS, yesterday. Figaro conceives it possible that tbs King will refuse signature to the Home Rule Bill. AMAZING RUMOURS. COVERtfMEN'p AND ULSTER VOLUNTEERS. A SCHEME NIPPED IN THE BUD. LONDON, yesterday The Daily Telegraph-the Times and other newspapers state' that amazing rumours, are in circulation that Government, impressed with reports of the increasing efficiency of the Ulster Volunteers, determined that 'the volunteers be surprised and disarmed. Mr Winston Churchill suggested that the troops should be moved secretly and rapidly. War ships stationed afr Liffy and a third battle squadron were 'ordered to Lamlash. A fourth destroyer division sailed from Southampton to an unknown destination. General Sir Arthur Paget, qrid Lieutenant-Colonel Blunt, at a conference of officers, revealed the scheme. Wireless messages stopped the movements of the battleships and on Saturday the destroyer division returned to Southampton. RIGHT TO MAKE LAWS. WITHOUT INTERFERENCE BY KING OR ARMY. REMARKABLE DEMONSTRATION. / OVER ARMY ESTIMATES.

A HEATED DEBATE. LONDON, yesterday. When the Army Estimates were being considered in the House of Commons Mr L. C. M. S. Amery (Unionist) moved a reduction fo emphasise the view that Government was not entitled to use the army for party purposes. He officers were prepared to support the civil powers against riots and disorder but harl a right to act as their consciences dictated when Government, for party ends, was asking civil war. Mr John Ward (Labour) seconded the motion from a different standpoint. The House had to decide whether Parliament in future would have to go to a committee of military men to ask if they would allow this or that Bill to be passed into law. Mr Ward read synarmy: "Don't shoot strikers." He accused Unionists spreading similar sedition in the arrjiy. If wealthy folk wanted to ehioloy such means to decide

A WHITE PAPER. SOLDIERS AID THEIR DUTY. THE LEGAL POSITION. RESIGNATIONS AND REINSTATEMENTS. LONDON, yesterday. A white paper states that on December 16th an interview took place between Colonel Seely, Secretary for War, and Generals and officers . commanding, when possibility of resignations from the army were brought to Colonel Seely's notice. Colonel Seely dealt with the legal question and laid it down that a soldier could not shelter himself from the civil law behind his' superior's order. If that order was Unreasonable and outrageous —for instance, if the army was called upon to massacre demonstrative Orangemen who *vere not endangering their neighbours' lives—the soldiers would be justified in refusing to obey. What they were required to face at present was the possibility of the troops being called on to support the civil power and protect life and property when the police were unable to do so. Colonel Seely had declared that he would hold the officers individually responsible if there was anything in their commands subversive to discipline. The Army Council on March 14th, believing that Armagh, Ohagh, Carrick Fergus and Enniskillen were»liable to attack, instructed General Sir Arthur Paget to take special precautions. Sir Arthur Paget telegraphed that all officers of the Fifth Lancers except two, were resigning their commissions and that he feared the same condition prevailed in the Sixteenth Lancers. He also feared the men would refuse to move. Sir Arthur Paget telegraphed on the 20th that Brigadier Gough and 57 officers of the Third Cavalry Brigade. preferred dismissal if ordered north. The Army Council replied authorising the suspension of seniors and ordering Brigadier Gough and the officers commanding the Fifth and Sixteenth Lancers to attend at the War Office. Officers were being sent to relieve them forthwith. Resignations of all officer? ,hould be refused. Brigadier General Gough reported that his officers were unanimously of the opinion that further information was essential before they were called upon at such short notice to form decisions vitally affecting their future. An especially dear definition regarding their duty in Ulster was required. If it consisted of the preservation of property and the maintenance of order all were prepared to carry out their orders but if it involved military operations against Ulster they would rather prefer dismissal. On the 23rd Brigadier-General Gough asked whether in the event of Home Rulo becoming law they would be called upon under the expression "maintaining law and order" to enforce Home Rule. He insisted on this

point being made clear. The reply was initialled by Colonel Seelv, and Generals French and Ewart on the 23rd, and authorised Brigadier-Gene-ral Gough to inform th<? Brigade that the Council of War was satisfied that there had been a misunderstanding. The duty of all soldiers was to obey the Council's commands for the protection of property and the support of the civil power in the event of disturbances and the protection of lives. This was the only point. The Council had intended that Sir Arthur Paget should put it to the officers that Government must retain the right to use the troops in support of the civil power and the maintenance of order. They did not intend to take advantage' of the army to crush political opposition to the policy and prinicples of Home Rule.

THE DISCUSSION. "A HELLISH INSINUATION." RELUCTANTLY WITHDRAWN. LONDON, yesterday. Mr Bonar Law said there were many gaps in the white paper which required filling before adequate discussion was possible. g Colonel Seely said he would conceal nothing. The white paper included all the instructions to Sir Arthur Paget, but there were oral instructions respecting the movements of troops, also numerous consultations, of which no memoranda was kept. Mr Amery, M.P. for Birmingham South, asked: "Will Mr Churchill state whether he hoped that purely precautionary measures would lead to fighting and bloodshed." Mr Churchill repudiated the hellish insinuation. Amidst uprcfar the Speaker ordered Mr Ghurchill to withdraw the epithet. Mr Churchill reluctantly withdrew. Colonel Seely added that Sir Arthur Paget's officers honestly believed a plan existed to overwhelm Ulster by a surprise attack. They were not aware that they were only being asked to support the civil pdaver. Sir Arthur Paget had "denied tlie accuracy of the letter purporting to give his phrase: "The country will be in a blaze," and said he meant a blaze in the Press. Colonel Seely accepted responsibility for granting conditions to BrigadierGeneral Gough. He admitted he had misled Cabinet inadvertently, but he was honest in intent. Therefore lie had. tendered his resignation. The suggestion that the Ring took any initiative was absolutely unfounded. Mr Churchill, in reply to Lord Charles Beresford, said the squadron was ordered to Lamlash to deal with possible serious disorders on Saturday night, frut the precautionary movement of troops was carried out without opposition. Therefore he had cancelled tKe movement *©f ships. (Ministerial cheers.) The Admiral in command had asked for field guns in order to exercise his men ashore if the weather were bad. (Opposition laughter.) Mr Balfour formally moved the rejection of the Consolidated Fund Bill. Mr Asquith said the coercion of Ulster could never happen if Ulster took advantage of the Government's offer. When Cabinet had met to deal with Brigadier - General Gough they had authorised the Army Council to supply him with a document explicitly setting out the army's duty, without giving an assurance of any sort. Afterwards, Colonel Seely, without. Cabinet's knowledge, had added a paragraph- giving an assurance. The Premier, in conclusion, emphasised that Cabinet would never permit the demands for an assurance'which would place the Government and the Commons at theVmercy of the Navy and military. He declined to Colonel Seely's resignation, as it would be ungenerous and unjust to do so.

By Electric Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright.

COLONIALS SHOCKED. LONDON, yesterday. Miv G. G. Greenwood (Liberal) said tliere was not a colonial in the Empire who was not shocked by the events of the last few days. At Colonel Seelv's suggestion, the discussion will bo continued when the full facts are known to-day. SECRETARY FOR WAR RESIGNS. Colonel Seely has resigned. Colonel Seely succeeded Lord Haldane as Minister for War in 1912, having for two years prior to that acted as Under-Secretary. In 1908-10 he was Under Secretary for the Colonies. He entered Parliament in 1906 as Unionist member for the Abereomby Division of Liverpool, but he could not subscribe to the Tariff Reform policy of his party and so joined the Liberals. There has always been a feeling of dissatisfaction amongst the Liberals that Colonel Seely should control the Army and Mr Churchill the Navy, when both had entered Parliament as Unionists. Colonel Seely before entering Parliament commanded the Hampsnire Carabineers, and served with the Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa. He was mentioned in despatches, and holds the Queen's medal with five clasps. He is 46 years of age.

RESPECT TO THE ULSTER LEADER. BY WAR OFFICE MESSENGER. LONDON, yesterday. Major General Sir C. Macßeady, whom the War Office sent to Belfast to confer with Count Glenelien, visited Sir Edward Carson at Craigavon in uniform, intimating that he wished to pay his respects to the Unionist leader.' General Richardson was present. NO WAR STAFF LEFT. * ' BUT FOR PREMIER'S STATEMENT. LONDON, yesterday. The Manchester Guardian states: The War Office staff, with two exceptions, intended resigning but for Mr Asquith's , statement declaring that there had been a misunderstanding. A PRESS VIEW. LIKE TO SEE LIBERALS IN THE WILDERNESS." ' , LONDON, yesterday. The Westminster Gazette says it would rather it should go on record thai the army won the victory than the Government. "We would cheerfully see the Government out of office and the Liberal party in the wilderness. What Messrs Ward and Thomas said yesterday the whole working class is thinking to-day."

SIGNIFICENT. ORGANISER FOLLOWS THE LEAD ARMS AND OPRESSION. LONDON, yesterday. The Miners' agent, addressing colliers at Cumberland, said the time was ripe- for the formation of a Trade Union Defence League ready to take up arms and resist oppression from any source. | A VICTORIAN PASTORALIST'S % OFFER. ] MELBOURNE, to-day. Mr Horsfall, a prominent pastoralist, has cabled to Sir E. Carson that as Mr Asquith refuses a referendum, he will give £20,000 to help Ulstermen if driven to fight.