IRISH CRISIS

Southland Times, Issue 19311, 1 August 1924, Page 5

IRISH CRISIS

DANGER OF REPUBLICANISM GRAVE SITUATION ARLSES COLLAPSE OF FREE STATE GOVERNMENT FEARED. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) .LONDON, July 31. (Received July 31, 11.0 p.m.) Following the interpretation of the Irish Treaty by the Judicial Committee of the House of Lords, the opinion is general that the only way out of the deadlock is for the government to pass legislation enabling itself to appoint the Boundary Commission. The Daily Chronicle says that Cabinet considered the position and came to the conclusion that a most difficult situation had been created. It is understood that the Ministers, in view of the fact that the present Government was not responsible for the Treaty, decided that it ought to consult those concerned. Cabinet accordingly communicated with the signatories, also the leaders of the parties in office when the Treaty was framed. It is understood that a conference with those will be held at No. 10 Downing Street immediately.

In the meantime, it is indicated that it will be necessary to prolong the sitting of Parliament for a week. Possibly Mr J. H. Thomas (Colonial Secretary), may have to cancel his projected trip to South Africa. The Daily Telegraph says that a roundtable conference will be held at Downing Street this morning. Invitations to be present have been issued to Messrs Stanley Baldwin and H. H. Asquith and the signatories, viz., Mr D. Lloyd-George, Mr Austen Chamberlain, Lord Birkenhead, Mr Winiston Churchill, Sir L. Worthington Evans, Sir Ham ar Greenwood and Lord Hewart.

The Daily Express states that the Government feels that faith must be kept with the Free State, and if a Bill is not put forward immediately, a serious position will arise in Southern Ireland owing to Republican activities and the failure of the Free State Government to hold its position. The Irish correspondent of the Morning Post learns that the imperial Government ordered the withdrawal of British troops from Bellukfort in the disturbed area on the north-west border. He argues that this was ill-timed, adding that everyone knows that the days of the Cosgrave Government are numbered.

The general expectation is that there will be a collapse of the Free State constitution’ in the late autumn and the enthronement of Republicanism.

Mr Stephen Gwynn writes in the Observer of June B:—The failure of the informal conference between Prime Ministers at Chequers was no surprise, and Mr MacDonald has taken definite action. He has found a Chairman for the Boundary Commission. Mr Justice Feetham is unknown in Ireland, and therefore opinion is only affected by the fact that an appointment has been made which pleases Dublin and displeases Belfast. But at the same time Belfast is somewhat reassured and Dublin somewhat dashed by the announcement that the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is to pronounce on the situation created by Ulster’s refusal to appoint a representative. The proposal to join Canadian and Australian Judges to the tribunal for this purpose shows very fitly the gravity which British Ministers attach to it. They want to carry the Dominions with them in what they do. Suppose the finding of the Court to be favourable to Ulster’s contention, the possibility of Ulster’s resisting it will be appreciably lessened. Suppose it unfavourable to the Free State, the whole proceeding will be denounced in Ireland as a corrupt trick; but the British Government’s position will be strengthened in regard to international opinion. Looking at it from a broader point of view, Ireland’s contention is that the task of solving this problem falls upon Great Britain. To impose a solution by force is a very grave matter, and if the Free State is to be satisfied no other course is possible. Before a Labour Government, in a minority in the House of Commons, attempts to tackle such a task it needs to range behind it in the most explicit way whatever can serve to make it representative, not of party, but of the Empire and the British people. So, though it may be natural, it is not reasonable for Ireland to grumble at the slow and cautious approach.