The Irish standard., 1911-09-09
Redmond's GeneraIship.


Redmond's GeneraIship.
The writer Of the Parliamentary ar
ticle in Truth pays the following ex-
ccllent tribute to the gcncralship Of
Mr.. Redmond in the recent parliament
tary fight:
Tactics are as Indispensable to
success in politics as in war, but ne-
ther the Liberal nor the lIniouist
leaders have greatly distinguished
themselves as tacticians in the tight
over the House of Lords. The only
good stratesist has been MIR. Redmond
Liberals have for some time profcssed
themselves dcsirous of giving Home
Rule to Ireland. Mir. RcClmond's OBJ
jcctive' was to get them to give effect
I" their professions as soon AS they
had tho power. In the Parliament OF
1906 he Liberal majority was So large
"nt on tho Irish vote, and If a measure
was carried in the Commons, il WAS
sure to he thrown out Ivy the Lords.
There WHS therefore no chance for
Home Rule in that Parliament. and
Mr.. Redmond Welcomed the proposal
or Sir Henry Campbell l'nllnrrnmn to
convert the absolute veto of the Lords
TO Il mere suspenSnry ono. But he
kept quiet and watched events. The
election OF January. 1910, entirely al
tered his position. The Government
was at his mercy. Al any moment he
could turn II out Accordingly h. ex-
acted terms for his support. Not only
must the Parliament Bill he followed
by Home Rule bill. hu, an assurance
must be given that in the event of
the Lords throwing out the pnria-
mcni bill. there would be Il creation
of sufficient new Peers to force il
through the House of Lords.
"rhc second election of last year did
not alter the relative strength of par
to all but the blind that Mr.. Redmond
was satisfied that the Premier had OBJ
| tanned assurance that the Crown wouIt
assent to the necessary creation. AT
first when questioned on this point
Mr.. Asnuith rather fenced with the
questions, but i'm the end he was able
to convinc" Mr.. Redmond that, if nee
essary, there would be a creation nl
| Peers. or course, the l1nionist cry out
mond, and ! can understand that il
has not met with their approval But
they would have thought him a. foo
had he not used Mis- power. He anG
his friends were sent to Parliament 70,
one specific object. g., to get Home
Rule. All else WAS Il matter of sec
ondary Importance to them. Ahr I'm.
ionists assert that the Home Rule is.
sue had not been before he cunstitu.
cral Elections, and that it ought no
| to become" law before the electorate
has been specifically consulted in re.
gard to it. They may have some
ground for this contention, but this /:
no affair Of Mr.. Redmond's. Why
should he risk the verdict of II Gen.
eral Election or n Referendum if hi
could get what he wanted Withou, do.
| ing so" He has proved himself al
admirable Parliamentary strategist.
"All that Mr.. Redmond now has tt
| fear is that either the present Gov
crnmcnt will be turned out on some
by issue before there has been suff1
clent time to carry Home Rule bill
over the heads OF the Lords or tha
the bill will be such as to provoke ;
| revolt in the ranks of the supporter:
of the Government. But ! make NJ
doubt that. while he may demnnt
grant, he would not risk success b,
insisting upon such demands. If {
| Parliament in ireland be created t.
deal with all exclusively Irish matters
that is "A step which can never be re
called And / do not think that it will
he difficult for ireland to get from thi
Parliament everything that in rcasol
it can expect"
| Evervone Was Happv
u A gentleman had five daughters