Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-16
Deadlock Remains as
UnmOvable asBefOre
ConciliatoryOf OF
Premier Asquith
Obstetrics Declare Strongly for
Their Issue Of Exclusion

London. March 15.-A settlement OF
the Irish home rule difficulty appar-
entity has been little advanced by the
British governments great conces-
sions to the Obstetrics and taking the
assertions of both political parties at
their face value the deadlock today
remains as irnmovable as before Pre-
mier Asquith's coneiliatory offer was
made in the House OF Commons on
March 8.
The signers of the Ulster covenant
declare strongly that nothing less than
the permanent exclusion of the Pro-
testant counties of Ulster from the
Irish government at Dublin instead of
the proposed six-year option will be
considered by them.
The more radical covenanters de-
mand not only the exclusion of the
four counties-Antrim, Armagh, Lon
donderry and Down-in which the
Protestants are in the majority, but
they want the entire province of Ulster
excluded. Anything else. they say
would be the desertion of their COM
rades in counties where Protestants
are in the minority and would be
treason to their covenant.
Sir Edward Carson. leader of the
Ulster Unionists, sent a message to
Belfast today, saying:
so far as our preparations are con-
cerned, the pronouncement of the
government, if anything. necessitates
a still more forward movement this
year. We are going TO make good in
action all we have been saying and
he
years."
On the other side the government
newspapers assert that Premier As
quith's scheme is the absolute limit
of concessions, and is not a basis for
further negotiations.
Winston Spencer Churchill, first lord of
the British Admiralty, speaking at Brad
ford, Yorkshire, today, said;
cit seems to me that in principle
don't speak of details--that it is the last
offer his majesty's government can or
ought to make
Sir Edward Russell, who is a close
friend of Premier Asquith, writing in the
Liverpool Daily Post, of which he Is the
editor, takes a different view. He says:
TN non-political clubs everybody is con-
fident that Premier Asquith has made up
his own mind to let the Nationalist go;
that sooner of later he will tsll Mr.. Red
mond the only feasible home rule is the
one with the entire exclusion of Ulster
Irish Nationalist newspapers declare
that John Redmond and his colleagues
could not possibly support bill con-
tanning further surrenders from the orig
inal scheme of Irish home rule. Some
of the Nationalist organs bitterly de-
nounce the Nationalist members for sub
uniting to Premier Asquith's terms.
Little talk is now heard that the Or
angemens preparation to fight are gi-
gantic bluff The covenanters claim to
have 1000 men drilling in Sid Edward
Carson's army, with $1,000 rifles and some
pieces of artillery.
The London newspapers are filled with
pictures of Ulster men in civilian clothes,
and with rifles and cartridge belts, exc
cutting skirmish ana other drills like
trained soldiers.
Mr.. Churchill in commenting Saturday
in his Bradford address on the prepara-
lions being made in Ulster to resist home
rule, said:
1.-THE first British soldier or coast guard
who is attacked and killed by the Or
angement will raise such an explosion in
this country as the Tories little appre-
ciate, and it will shake the foundations
of society,"
Percy Holden Illingworth. the chief
Liberal whip in the House of Commons,
speaking at the same meeting, said there
would be no general election until the
home rule for Ireland, the Welsh discs
Enlistment and the plural voting bills
had been passed by Parliament.