FOR CLOSER UNITY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9618, 26 March 1917, Page 4

FOR CLOSER UNITY

It is good, indeed, to know' that the British Government have decided to make another attempt to .solve the Irish question, and that Air Asquith lias promised them his co-operation. Mr Bonar Law’s statement to that effect in the House of Commons last Thursday will he hailed with joy hy all true democrats, by all who desire closer national unity in tho orcsent grave crisis, and a fuller, truer federation of tho Empire after tho war is over. Now Zealand democrats, too, will rejoice to seo Sir Joseph Ward’s outspoken declaration, at tho National Liberal Club the same day, that the Irish question calls for prompt settlement; that it is a running and dangerous sore at the heart of the Empire, and extends to countries far beyond; that it should be healed without delay, and that its healing would not only, as Air Bonar Law has declared, be one of the best things for tho Empire, but would also he in tho interests of the world’s civilisation. With Sir Joseph Ward, ws are convncod that, given the requisite goodwill oh both sides, the necessary spirit of give-and-take, an effective and lasting settlement can be made. With him, we hold that such a settlc- ; ment is essential to more closely unify the Empire and help to win the war; ahd that no effort, therefore, should bqr spared to bring the parties • together and establish an Irish Parliament with full local autonomy. As Sjjr H. J. Dalzicl trenchantly put it in- opening the debate on the question in -the: House of Commons, the settlement of the Irish problem is not only nooj.-sary in the interests of national unity, hut is also necessary to put Britain right with her Allies. Inaction strengthens the reactionary and revolutionary elements in Ireland ; and, not only that, it at the same time plays into the hands of the enemy. In those circumstances, therefore, all parties should be prepared to mako the great sacrifices —the undoubtedly great sacrifices, but is not the cause worthy of the greatest sacrifices? —without which a satisfactory and enduring solution must forever rc-„ main impossible. “Whore there’s a will there’s a way” ; and in the course of the debate it was made clear that the will to arrive at an understanding is by no means wanting. , That being tho case, it surely should not be beyond tho combined power of British and of Irish statesmanship to reach a. settlement'.tlijit will possess tho elements of permanency in that it will secure- substantial justice, to all concerned. Tho latest surmise is that tho Government Bill will be. found to ari'ango for the. exclusion of Ulster, with a periodical system of county option, coupled-with opportunities to Ulster of accepting the domestic legislation of tho Dublin Parliament. This is devised, the surmise tells us, in tho bope of the ultimate absorption of Ulster by gradual vote of the various sections of the Ulster people. At this stage criticism is obviously Impossible,' We note that the Nationalists have determined to wait for the measure before coming to definite conclusion. At all events, the first step towards solution-is- ready.