Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century.] WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1914. SIR EDWARD CARSON AND ULSTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 11878, 14 January 1914, Page 4

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century.] WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1914. SIR EDWARD CARSON AND ULSTER.

Undoubtedly the personality which overshadows all others in tho Home Rule campaign is that of Sir Edward Carson. On the one hand, he has been represented to us as a traitor, inciting a considerable portion of the King's peaceful subjects to rebel against tho Government and the peace oi tho country. On the other, ho has been held up to us as a knight in shining armour, standing torth for the liberties, civil and religious, of the Protestant population of Ireland. Both of these pictures are misleading, for both of them present Sir Edward Carson to us in the guise of a fanatic, whatever else he may be, Sir Edward is certainly no fanatic. We fancy that perhaps the best analysis of Sir Edward's true position is that in a recent issue of the "Spectator." The paper says that close observers of the situation during the past few months must have noticed that no responsible member of tho present Government ever abuses Sir Edward Carson or seriously denounces him as a traitor or an enemy of his country. Not only have tho Cabinet refused to arrest him or to prosecute him for treason or incitement to treason, but they have not even treated

him to the vituperative epithets which j generally pass between political opponents when blood is high. What is the j explanation of this strange circum- j stance? It is, we believe, ne.y f we are certain, to be found in the fact that they know that, in spite of his apparent or technical lawlessness, Sir Edward Carson is really the best friend of law j and order in Ireland. Instead of his organisation and drilling and even arming of the Convenanters having served to bring disaster nearer in UlBtor, they have staved it off. Sir Edward Carson's organisation has without question tended to steady and control • tho Ulster Protestant's hatred of Homo j Itulo and his determination never to be placed under the rule of a Dublin Parliament. But for Sir Edward Carson tho rifles in Ulster would have gone off of themselves months ago. The Covenant and tho military organisation have meant discipline where discipline was most needed, and where we had never had it before. But for that discipline tho fires of death would have ..been lighted already in Ulster, and a movement for driving out the Roman Catholicß and Nationalists as traitors within tho garrison would have taken place. Unquestionably Sir Edward Carson's "You must not move till I give the word," has saved the situation, and the Government know it in their hearts. Thoy, of course, will not say so openly, but they are grateful to him, and respect him for what ho has done. At the same time the Government know also that Sir Edward Carson is not holding tho Ulster people back in order to defeat their essential determination. He neither could nor would stultify Protestant Ulster if tho need to resist a Dublin Parliament arose. Ho will prevent, as ho has prevented, riot and anarchy but ho will not prevent civil war if in the belief of himself and his supporters the time has come to declare it, and if moral justification has been given for that declaration. In that case the Government will find that what has helped them, and is helping them now, will be anything but a help. They will find that they have to deal not with mere riotous mobs, but with an army of a hundred thousand armed and drilled men. There is the situation. For the moment, however, Sir Edward Carson is order's best friend.