HOME RULE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10538, 13 August 1912, Page 1

HOME RULE.

MR CHURCHILL'S LETTER. 1 REPLY TO UNIONIST LEADER. limited Press Association— By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, August 12. Mr Churchill in a letter to the chairman of the Liberal organisation at Dundee, referring * to Homo Rule declares that he deals at some length with Mr Bonar Law's threats, not because Mr Bonar Law was likely to carry them out or because there would be no • remedy if he did. He adds: "Mr Bonar Law declares there is no t length to which Orangemen might go resisting, not tyranny or ill-usage, mark you, but Home Rule, which he does not support, arguing that it was not an issue at the last election. This is untrue. Mr Bonar Law's doctrines would he fatal to the evolution proceeding during the last two generations toward consolidation and reconciliation tending to make a home within the Empire for all its people and thus establish their rights, respect their creeds, honour their traditions, enabling all to stand together in high comradeship and freedom and unbroken in tha hour of trial. Mr Bonar Law's doctrines not only are pernicious i'n external affairs. His counsels of violence and mutiny may not be unattractive to many millions of very poor, suffering toilers in slums at home, who,, hearkening to them, may he lured to their own and public disasterMr Bonar Law's doctrines, embodied m his Blenheim speech, are Mr Tillett's at Tower Hill, but Mr Tillett's men were starving. iThe talk of civil war emanates from one side alone, but were Home Rule frustrated Mr Bonar Law within twelve months possibly would be sending Nationalists to servitude or the gallows and be holding three provinces in the grip of the Coercion Act in the name of the same law and order he now recklessly tramples. The Government will pursue its path patiently and soberly until its work is done. The transference of power to its successors, unaffected by violent means, will not occur until Mr Bonar Law divests himself of doctrines disqualifying him for official responsibility, doctrines by which every lawless or disruptive movement in any part of the Empire can be justified and whence every street bully with a brickbat, every crazy fanatic fumbling a pistol tnay derive inspiration."