HOME RULE

New Zealand Tablet, 12 March 1914, Page 35

HOME RULE

ALLEGED ROYAL INTERVENTION THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS A London cable under date March 6 says:—lt was rumored that the King had intevened in regard tq' the Irish Home Rule Bill. The report at first was dismissed as incredible, but it is now universally current ’ among politicians, and is generally accepted as true. ' His Majesty, it is said, insisted that a general election should immediately follow the passage of the Bill. It is further said that the King informed Mr. Asquith that if this course were not voluntarily pursued his Majesty', would exercise his prerogative of dissolving; Parliament. The report has caused bitter and uncon- . cealed resentment in Liberal circles. Such a step will, bring the Crown, for the first time in modern history, " in direct conflict with the dominant political party. The Time* declares that it cannot be emphasised too strongly that the predominant feeling on both sides of the House is strongly adverse to any association of the Royal name with the critical stage through which national politics are now passing. Sir Henry Lucy asserts that the ‘ Diehards ’ in the House of Lords are determined to reject the Army Bill, and so force a dissolution of Parliament in midsummer. The Chronicle states that some Peers are planning to insert in the Army Annual Bill an amendment pro-', hibiting its use in Ulster. The Government would reject such an amendment, whereupon, in the event of the House of Lords insisting, the Bill would be'lost and the Army would cease to exist. A London cable of March 9 states the House of Commons was crowded. Many of the members, being unable to find accommodation on the floor of the Chamber, were seated in the galleries. Great tension prevailed throughout question time. The Prime Minister rose, amidst great cheering, and said that he was offering suggestions which did not mean running away from the original Bill, but he desired to give the measure a start with the greatest degree of success. There was a prospect of acute dissatisfaction and civil strife, yet if the Bill were shipwrecked or mutilated or postponed the outlook was equally formidable. Any settlement, therefore, must involve the acceptance of the principle of an Irish Parliament, with special treatment to Ulster beyond the safeguards already provided in the Bill. Continuing, the Prime Minister said that the Ulster counties -would be allowed to take a poll as to whether they should bo. excluded from the operation of the Bill for a term of six years. Before that period expired the electors of the United Kingdom would have an opportunity to say whether the exclusion should continue. The Government had considered these three roads: First, Home Rule within Home Rule, which did not commend itself to any of the parties. Second, the inclusion of the whole of Ireland, with the option to the Ulster counties to recede after a period ; but this also possessed fatal drawbacks. , Third, the inclusion of Ulster.' The Government had decided that Ulster should be allowed to say whether she desired exclusion, and a poll of the electors would be taken before the Bill came into operation. • If exclusion was adopted the six-yearly 'period would date from the first meeting of the Irish Parliament. This term would afford ample time to test the new Parliament, and the electors of the United Kingdom would be able to say whether the exclusion should continue. Meanwhile, Ulster would continue her representation in the Imperial Parliament. Mr. Asquith concluded by saying that he did not expect that his proposals would be accepted with enthusiasm in any quarter. Mr." J. E. Redmond said that the Prime Minister had gone to the very limit of concession. Long before the expiry of six years the Nationalists would be able to .make an exhibition of tolerant government which-

would disarm suspicion. He said that if Ulster frankly accepted the Government’s proposals as a basis of peace, the Nationalists would accept them in the same spirit. It would be a tragedy if Sir E. Carson and his friends refused to assist in creating good government in Ireland. Mr. Redmond went on to say that if the Opposition in a moment of unwisdom and passion rejected this far-reaching and generous suggestion, then the Government owed it to Ireland and to the Empire to put the Bill on the Statute Book without delay, and to face, with firmness any movement to overawe Parliament, and subvert the law by menace or arms. Mr. O'Brien said the Prime Minister’s suggestions were hateful and intolerable. Ulster was indulging in a gigantic game of bluff. Mr. Tim Mealy said he would rather have no Bill than the proposed modifications. He was certain that Mr. Redmond was going to swallow perpetual exclusion. The four excluded counties would be boycotted by all the Irish outside. There would probably be a movement in the American Congress to put a tariff on Belfast linen and other products to prevent them from being consumed in the United States. The debate was adjourned till the 16th inst. .—— - J