THE HOME RULE BILL

New Zealand Tablet, 16 October 1913, Page 19

THE HOME RULE BILL

IMPORTANT SPEECH BY MR. CHURCHILL On the course of an address at Dundee, where he had a great reception, Mr. Churchill denounced the Unionists’ action in Ulster, and declared that the Home Rule Bill was going to pass. But the Bill was not unalterable. The Parliament Act rendered farreaching alterations possible, but only on the condition that there was an agreement. He invited Ulster to make advances. The speech is regarded as an official statement of the Government’s attitude towards Ulster. _He (commenced by denouncing the campaign against the individual Ministers by polecats of politics, but the malevolent, malodorous tribe had been defeated by the constituencies and the law courts. Turning to Home Rule, he said the Tories had grown fretful under the long enforced continuance in the minority. They used to rely on the Lords’ veto, but they were now inclined to induce their King to take sides with the Unionists. The last substitute for a party majority was a civil and religious war in Ulster, accompanied by the mutiny of the army and the boycott of the Territorials. The Government intended to stand firm against a bully’s veto more arbitrary than the veto of the Crown, which was abolished 300 years ago. The elections of 1910 gave the Government the fullest authority, and it was intended to act on that mandate. Before legislation was passable by the Irish Parliament there must be a general election. If the result was the transference of power it would be open for the Unionists to repeal the measure. Meanwhile it was useless to mock at Ulster, which was in earnest. Excited and distressed Protestants had a full apprehension of the question of how to make their anxiety appreciated by the British public. The claim of North-east Ulster for special consideration was a very different claim. The defeat of Home Rule could not be brushed aside without the Government’s full consideration. There was no advance which Ulstermen

could make which could not be met and matched, and more tuan matcxied, by their Irish fellow-countrymen, and the Liberal Party as one party could carry Home Rule, but it would take more to make Home Rule a lasting success. Peace was better than triumph, provided it was peace with honor. Only one thing, however, would compensate the Irish for, the grievous loss of efficiency and strength which would result from even the temporary absence of North-east Ulster. That would be the co-operation of both British parties in carrying the settlement through. Referring to the land question, Mr. Churchill said that the proposals of the Chancellor did not injure any legitimate interest. Interviewed by the Daily Mail, Mr. Churchill expressed a strong personal belief that the settlement of the Irish question would be attained before long. The Daily Mail (U.) states that Mr. Churchill's speech regarding Home Rule opens the door to negotiations, and if a settlement is reached it will be largely due to his conciliatory utterances. : Other Unionist papers, however, regard the speech as provocative, but the Pall Mall Gazette (U.) expresses surprise at their adverse criticism, and characterises the speech as the turning point in the controversy. The Westminster Gazette (L.) says that while the Government should meet Ulster's grievances it cannot sacrifice Ireland's national integrity. The Manchester Guardian (L.) contrasts the unyielding attitude of the Home Secretary (Mr. McKenna) with Mr. Churchill's placatory speech. The Belfast papers ridicule the exclusion of the north-eastern counties as affording a. solution of the Home Rule difficulty, and scout any idea of compromise.

The Nationalist papers declare that the mutilation of Ireland is a preposterous idea. At an open-air meeting at Dundee Mr. Churchill declared that the Government would not allow a measure of conciliation to defraud a great political party of victory and baulk a nation of the realisation of its birthright. If the Irish question were settled the ground would be cleared for consideration of selfgovernment in other parts. He was absolutely unrepentant of his speech made a year ago dealing with Federalism. He believed many would live to see the Federal system in Britain, which would be the forerunner of an Imperial Federation and the gathering together of British here and overseas.