THE EXCLUSION OFFER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13350, 7 April 1914, Page 3

THE EXCLUSION OFFER.

(Received April 7, 11.35 a.m.) LONDON, April 6. Mr Redmond, in the House of Commons; said Sir E. Carson had 'made no step towards a compromise. The talk of federalism was misleading and mischievous. He sympathised with federalism, but as a solution of. the Ulster difficulty it was necessary to be more precise. The House owed a duty to Ireland to pass the Bill, undeterred by threats of resistance. Sir_E. Carson said that after the Government attempt at a military and naval revolution, he was sceptical of conciliation professions. The only thing was to exclude Ulster until her consent was won. Sir John Simon said that the exclusion offer would remain open to the latest possible date. The exclusion of Ulster would prevent a leap in the dark. The essence of the Government's view was that Home Rule meant Irish unity.

Lord Charles,.speaking at a dinner of Ulstermen in London in February, said: As to the position of the services in the event of civil war in Ireland, he wished he could show the Government the number of letters he had received from officers and men of both services asking liis advice as to what they should do if called upon under orders to fire on the people of Ulster if civil war unfortunately broke out. He sent the reply in every case : "As long as you are under the pennant, obey your orders, no matter what they may be.". It would be fatal to this country if anybody in a responsible position were to lessenthe discipline ana patriotism of the services. Ulstermen understood perfectly well that if these soldiers were ordered to Ulster they would go, so long as they were under the pennant, and if they fired, no Ulsterman would bear them any grudge. It must be remembered, however, that civil war must destroy the morale of the services, for it destroyed the sentiments which kept the services together. # There were signs that the Government' were on the run, that they would not * use the forces of the Crown to carry out their criminal aim, and he did not' believe they would do it. If they did, he was sure it would be the first step to the demoralisation of the great army and the great navy, and that would lead to the break up of the greatest Empire tlie world had ever seen.