IRISH HOME RULE

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14536, 7 December 1920, Page 7

IRISH HOME RULE

BPEECH BY PRIME MINISTER. Mr Lloyd George recently gave a striking speech on affairs in Ireland. The speech is summarised as follows: — Ireland has declined to join in a common partnership for the advancement of tlic general cause. That was a grtTVe misfortune. While responsibility rested largely on Hie past government of Ireland, yet nothing had been done that could altogether justify the present conditions in that country. More had been done during the past iO years to redness the evils of Ireland than had been done in any other part of the world.

In regard to reprisals, the Premier said in Ireland 283 policemen had been shot, of whom 109 had been shot dead, and the patience of the police had' given way, with the result that they had hit back.

If, as was contended, there was war in Ireland, then war must be waged en both sides. But when policemm were shot in the backs by Sinn Feiners. it was not war, but murder. Under a system of terrorism which made it impossible to obtain evidence, was it any wonder that the police shot their murderers.

We must, however, restore order in Ireland, even by stern methods, because we cannot permit a country to fall into complete anarchy.

The murderous gang which now tyrannises Ireland must be broken up, and the Government must proceed wit'i a measure for the complete selfgovernment of the country. I protest vehemently against the doctrine that we must giv e Ireland more than Mr Gladstone.or Mr Asquith had been prepared to give simply because crime there has been successful. That self-government should be given because it was good and because It brought peace and goodwill I could understand and sympathise with, but not because a gang of assassins bullied us- into giving it. It was all very well to talk.about Dominion Home Rule, but Ireland demanded an absolutely Independent Republic, and even that would not satisfy the Irish as a whole. Dominion Home Rule for Ireland will mean conscription here:

During the war Ireland was engaged in" raising huge forces to stab Great Britain in the back, while we were lighting for our very existence. No one wanted to manage Ireland's domestic affairs, but dangerous weapons like armies and navies were better under the control of the Imperial Parliament. The Government would resist any altempt to give Ireland a separate navy and army.

The present Home Rule Bill would g. ; ve Ireland every possible facility to manage her own domestic affairs.