THE HOME RULE CRISIS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8654, 12 February 1914, Page 4

THE HOME RULE CRISIS

A profoundly important session of the British Parliament has been opened with a Speech from the Throne of which the part, of main importance deals, of course, with the Home Buie problem. The phrases put into the mouth of His Majesty the King carry every proof of the most elaborate oare in preparation. Regret is expressed, that the attempts to reach a settlement of the Ulster difficulty have so far proved unsuccessful, and the Parliament is gravely warned of ite immense iesponsibiUties in this fateful session The co-operation of “all parties and creeds” is besought, and mutual concession is advocated, in order to avoid possible trouble of the most deplorable character and dimensions. The Prime Minister has responded with a declaration that there is nothing the Government will not do, consistent with the fundamental principles of the Home Rule Bill, to avoid cavil war, and that the Government ■will, without delay, submit bo the House suggestions that will be honestly put forward. Her© w© have the dominant party in the constitution, backed 1 by the constituencies at three successive general elections, holding out the olive branch in the interests of peace. The only reply of the Tories is that the Government should dissolve Parliament, abandon its majority, risk the sacrifice oj a large part of its labours of eight years and more, and go to the country. But what possible purpose could a general election servo in the present crisis? Whatever the result, it would leave the Irish question just as unsolved as it is today—except that a Tory victory would further postpone a settlement. In addition, it would also put back the dock of progress for many years in respect of aandioration of the social condition of the masses; it would delay land reform; it would stultify and paralyse the Parliament Act, protect the plural Voter, buttress class privilege and landed aristocracy. It would do all these things, and . would leave from three-fourths to four-fifths of the people of Ireland in a more disappointed, aggrieved, and exasperated temper than ever. But though a general election must bo disq’oaHfied as a solytmt of the Ulster problem, the. difficulty has still to he faced, and faced within the coming eventful months. The outlook is by no means promising at the moment, but we are inclined to hope that the genius of British statesmanship, among all parties, will yet prove equal to the emergency. We cannot help regarding it as a favourable omen that Sir Horace Plunkett, “alter confidential interviews with the Ulster leaders,” has proposed that Protestant Ulster should accept the Home Rule Bill, on the condition that at the end of a fixed period a plebiscite be taken to decide whether Ulster shall remain subject to the Irish Parliament. We trust that we are not astray in. placing considerable significance on this proposal under the circumstances in which it is put forward at this extremely critical stage of the proceedings.