The Irish standard., 1912-01-27
Reconciliation of Ireland by Home
Rule will End Hostility, Says
Winston Churchill.
Advocates the Granting of Self.
Government to all Provinces
of the Empire.
Inability of Parliament to Dispose
of Present Business Advanced
as an Argument.

Mr.. Winston Churchill has written
all introduction for new edition. of
Home Rule In NUTSHELL" by Jere.
miah MacVeagh, M. p. Mr.. Churchill
takes Il point of view with which few
can find fault in his article which
follows:
The facts and arguments collected
in this brief epitome deserve the at
tention OF fair-minded and patriotic
IInglishmen. They represent in a
temperate and compendious form the
appeal of an lrishman for the grant
Of an Irish Parliament, and thus ex.
press once more what has been the
persistent and consistent desire of the
great majority of the Irish people ever
since tho Act of Union, more than q
hundred years ago. We In Great Brit
ain. however, are called upon to ex-
anime this appeal from British, and
from an Imperial, point of view. Its
sincerity is beyond dispute. We should
naturally wish to accede to it. But
can we wisely and safely do so? How
would Irish Home Rule affect the unity
Of the British Empire and the integ
rity of the United Kingdom? How
will it touch the fortunes of the Brit
ish race? Will it strengthen Great
Eritain in tle modern world? ls,-it-
on the true lines of Imperial develop
ment? Will it make us more secure
from dangers, and better able to over
come them in the hour of need? Ii
the answers to these questions are un-
favorable, the British people might
well be forced in these stern and un-
restful times to return a negative an
sWer. But II they are favorable, what
a sorry part will man have played,
who, out of carelessness. prejudice. or
partisanship, is guilty of obstructing
a settlement earnestly desired by the
Irish people, and polite and necessary
in itself!
1t Is because we believe that the an
swers to these questions will be found
to be extremely reassuring to all who
examine tho Home Rule question with
sincerity, that we confidently antici-
pate good and enduring arrange
ment.
The House Of Commons is over.
whelmed with unsifted business. Home
Rule will relieve 1t. The British Par.
liamentary system is not sufficiently
representative of the local and pro.
vincial life of the nation. Home Rule
all round will, by opening other roads
to political distinction, notably enrich
it-new and vlvifying pulses will be.
gin to beat, and the new nerve centers
OF a higher organism will spring into
being. The two greatest modern
states with whom we have to compete,
the German Empire and the American
Union, are today administered respec-
lively through % and 46 separate but
subordinate Parliaments, and this is
the only way by which the whole
strength of twentieth century com.
munity can be effectually applied to
government and progress.
ut is idle to argue tnat centraliza'
tion is right, or that devolution is
right. These terms are purely rela.
tive. Neither is exclusive. Either
separately would be wrong. The truth
resides in harmonious combination
of the two. The movement Of the
modern world is not towards the con
centration of millions of individuals
upon a single center, but the CONSOLE
dation around that center not of indi-
viduals, but Of other perfectly formed
subsidiary centers. This is the true
type and model alike Of the great mod
ern nation, and of the extended EN-
pre, in which both devolution and
Capitalization must proceed simultan.
eously or successfully to harmonious
balance, in which all services neces-
sary to national or imperial unity and
strength are over-more highly central
lied, and in which all other business
not affecting the whole body is con-
tinually devolved to lesser centers
which become themselves in natural
freedom the replenishing cells of en-.
orgy and life. Truly comprehended.