The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-26
CHURCHILL YIELDS
 TOPARTY'S DEMAND
Will Not Insist on Belfast
 Meeting
RIOTING IS EXPECTED
First Lord of the Admiralty Writes Letter to Lord Londonderry Show ing Conciliatory Spirit-Will
 Speak in Ulster, However

London. January 3.-winston Spencer Churchill, first lord of the admiralty, has sent letter to Lord Londonderry, for ner viceroy of Ireland, and one of the unionist leaders opposing the proposed home rule meeting, stating that he will advise the Ulster Liberal association not to insist on holding the meeting in Ulster hall, Belfast. as contemplated on Feb II ary s. but that he intends to deliver | a speech somewhere in Belfast on that day.
 1 MT Churchill says in his letter | 'It is my duty to keep my promise to | the Ulster Liberal association and assert tho right of free speech in a. public meet | ing. But as the main objections appear | to be directed against the holding of the | meeting in Ulster hall, I shall ask the | Irish Liberal association to accede to your | wish. There will thus be no necessity | for your friends to endure the hardships ! of a vigil or sustain the anxieties of a siege. Neither will it be necessary for you to break the law in an attempt to deprive us forcibly of the use of prop erty to which we are lawfully entitled.
 Is Not Important
 Tt Is not a point of any importance to me where I speak in Belfast. On the | contrary, l desire to choose whatever hall or place is least likely to cause ill feeling to the orange party
 The letter concludes:
 "It has, however, become of import ance to public liberty that a meeting should take place in Belfast on February B. and I intend to hold it there in the lawful exercise of the elementary rights of citizenship"
 MT. Churchilrs conciliatory move is cal l culated to lessen the chances of rioting at Belfast on February 8. Matters had reached a deadlock. offering no escape without the gravest consequences. The Ulster unionists appeared to be ready to take any risk to prevent Mr. Churchill from speaking in the hall where his father Lord Randolph Churchill, deliv- cred his famous dictum Ulster will fight and Ulster will be right"
 The harbor commissioners of Belfast by informing MT. Churchill that February 1 9 would be an inconvenient day for his proposed visit of inspection. gave strong support to the unionsts.
 Meeting Place Changed | As a result of the conference in Lon don yesterday, MT. Churchill volunteer ed to accept a change In the place of meeting, and although the unionists | joyfully hail his decision as a retreat | largely due to the rebuff administered by tbe Belfast harbor commissioners, there Is little doubt that they welcome the opportunity to escape from an un- pleasant position. as public opinion seems to be going against them. Mir Churchills letter was made public too late for the orange leaders to arrive at decision tonight, but the general belief is that trouble has been averted and the harbor board appears to have placed itself in an uncomfortable posi- tion by needlessly snubbing MT. Churchill.
 In long article in Reynolds Weekly | Newspaper dealing with the situation, John E. Redmond, leader of the Irish nationalsts, reminds the British public that the threats do not emanate from the general body of protestants in Ire land, but from small and noisy minor I ity of orangemen, who are opposed to every great reform for the benefit of | Ireland.
 Rioting Expected l Determination of Winston Spencer 1 Churchill. first lord of the admiralty, not to change his decision to have a meeting favoring home rule at which | he and John Redmond, leader of the Irish nationalists, are to speak at Bel l fast February 8, has caused apprehen- . sion among moderate unionists regard ing consequences of the Ulstermens de- cision to prevent the demonstration at all costs against the Roachdale stores.
 The English press is urging MT. Churchill to cancel his visit, pointing out that a fight between the two parties on the day of the demonstration in Belfast will not put an end to the trouble. Fears are expressed that hos tilities will be carried on for weeks and perhaps months not only in Belfast but throughout Ulster
 Prospects of a fight are prompt tin g many adherents of the nationalists as well as of the unionist cause to visit Belfast. and should riots occur there, the police will be utterly inadequate to cope with them Even the troops, or dered to mobilize in the city. will find | it difficult to restore order.
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