The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-17
Long and Stern Battle Ends
in Passing the
Measure
is LATER READ IN
HOUSE OF LORDS
Brilliant Speeches Again Mark Ses-
sion in House-N NatiOnalists Re-
ceive the Decision With
Great Enthusiasm

London, January 16.-After long, stern
battle the home rule bill passed the House
of commons tonight by a majority of no.
| Later it was read for the first time in
the house of lords.
| There were two divisions in the lower
house. Mr.. Balfour's motion for its re-
| lection was defeated 25S to $685. while
the third reading was carried by vote
of 367 to 257. one member of each side
having left the house in the interval.
The result of the division was too much
foregone conclusion for a tremendous
demonstration, but Irishmen inside and
outside of the house did their best and
assisted by the liberals and laborites,
gave the measure for which they had
waited and worked so long a good send
OFF on its way to the house of lords,
where its fate certainly is sealed.
Brilliant Speeches
The division was preceded by another
series of brilliant speeches by the political
leaders. among whom were Frederick Z.
Smith and the solicitor general. Sir John
A. Simon, two of the cleverest among the
younger members, and the veterans, John
e. Redmond, Timothy Healy and Angus
tine Birrell, chief secretary for Ireland.
The house was crowded throughout the
Gay. The nationalists were only one man
short of their full strength. Several of
the older natIonalists, who are seldom
able to attend, came over from Ireland
for the division.
The liberals and laborites, too turned
m N he mi etc
far below their total membership. The gall
lerles were filled to their capacity.
Decision Is Cheered
When the figures were announced the
nationalists waved hats, handkerchiefs
and papers and cheered Justify for Pre-
nlier Asquith and Mr.. Redmond. The lat
ter, who is usually impassive, was car
ried away by the enthusiasm of his fol-
lowers, and entered into the spirit of the
demonstrations as effusively as they.
Those who crowded the lobbies received
the figures with another roar of welcome
and added to this by cheering The bill
itself copy was carried by an Of
fetal from the commons to the lords.
The upper house met especially to re-
ceive the measure and formally passed
its first reading.
The house of commons soon quieted
after the Irish demonstration, but outside
the crowd continued to cheer for some
| time. strong force of police prevented
any attempt at an organized demonstra-
tion fearing clash between the opposing
factions. The natiopaists' song and
cheers brought forth counter cries from
the persons who had gathered largely out
of curiosity.
An anti-home rule demonstration was
held in the streets of Belfast tonight end
a copy of the bill burned amid eafening
cheers. Intense excitement prevailed, but
there was no disorder.
In a characteristic speech in the course
of the debate Mr.. Redmond dwelt feel
ingly on the years of defeat and disc )ur-
agement through which Irishmen had
passed in their efforts to gain home rule
and now their day of victory had ar
rived.
I'VE know that the House of Lords is
going to throw the home rule bill out"
he said, but / believe the home rule
bill, in spite of the House of Lords. is
going to pass into law within the life
time of this parliament
Andrew Bonar Law. leader of the OPP
position, said that for a generation the
liberals had been emulating Sisyphus.
They had rolled the stone to the top Of
the hill for third time, but the cheers
over the vote about to be taken would
not have died away when the stone had
begun to roll down, this time to remain
at the bottom.
Will Never Welcome Law
He declared that no bill which included
Ulster without listers consent ever could
become law. The bill. as it was, could
not stand for a single year. Once they
gave Mr.. Redmond parliament in Dub
lin he could. alter II in any way he
pleased.
Compared with 1885 and 1893. the speaker
added, the demand now for home rule had
decreased, while the hostility against 1t
had intensified. The real demand came
from the nationalist party, which had 80
votes to sell. The urionist party, he
said, would remove that temptation when
1t got the chance, by reducing the Irish
representation at Westminster to Just pro-
portions. He challenged Mr.. BirrelI to
say that the bill could be imposed upon
Ulster without bloodshed.
mo rebellion would be better justified.
the opposition leader declared. 'Thc men
of Ulster are ready to give up their lives
at the hands of British soldiers Ii they
shoot down a hundred in Belfast. 1000
will be ready next day to share their
fater'
Mr.. Birrell concluded the debate. He
regretted that the opposition had merely