Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-03-28
Past Week Has Been Marked by
Disturbing and Critical
Situations.
Asquith Repudiates. Guarantee
Given MutinOus British
Army Officers.
NATIONALIsTS STANDING FIRM

This has been an exciting and
momentous week for the Irish home
rule cause in Parliament, but as we
go to press 1t seems that the threat
ened dangers have passed and that
Parliament will place the bill on the
statute books without further con-
cessions to the Unionist and Orange
opposition led by Bonar Law and Sir
Edward Carson. The first disquiet-
ing news was the disaffection among
the officers of the regular army,
when numbers of officers in Ulster
resigned rather than obey orders.
Threats of crisis in the army If a
movement of regular troops was un-
dertaken against Ulster had long
been current, and in some quarters
1t is believed that the sudden march,
ing of limited number of troops
was ordered so the military authori-
ties might gather an idea as to how
widespread the threatened disaffec-
tion was. For several days the utmost
activity prevailed at the War Office
and In the other departments of the
Government, and now the officers
concerned are performing their
duties, which duties naturally in
clude obedience to orders. This
would indicate the threatened mutiny
has developed into fiasco.
According to press reports King
George has been taking active part
in the weeks negotiations, but the
Government leaders show a disposi-
tion to oppose any compromise with
the reealcitrants. Liberalism will
not finch one inch before the arro-
CANT and insolent plague of Tory
ism,' was the message conveyed by
David Lloyd-George, Chancellor OF
the Exchequer. to mass meeting Of
Liberals at Huddersfield ''The
country is confronted with the grav-
est issue in the history of democratic
government since the days or ~efrv.
Stuarts," he continued. "Repre-
sentative government in this land is
al stake. am here on behalf
of the Government to say we
mean to confront this defiance
of popular liberties with resolute
and unwavering determination,
whatever the hazard may be, We
are not fighting about Ulster or
about home rule. We are fighting
for all that is essential to the civil
liberty or THIS land.
Although it was generally con-
ceded on Thursday, the dispatches
say, that Premier Asquith had re-
gained the upper hand in Parliament,
the Government is by no means alto
gether out of trouble. 1t has still to
deal with the army officers in Ire
land under the new conditions es-
tablished by the Premier's speech in
the House of Commons. Brig, Gen.
Cough declares that this will mean
wholesale designations and the dis
ruption of the army. The Premier's
speech won back the support not
only of the Liberals, but of the Irish
and Labor members of Parliament by
the stand II took in repudiating the
guarantee given to the mutinous
army officers in Ireland that they
might decide whether or not they
would serve against the Ulster
Unionists.
The Liverpool Post, Liberal
newspaper, says that the month OF
June is given as the latest date for
general election. Ii intimates
that as a result of the Intervention
of King George. an agreement has
been reached by the Unionists and
the Liberals under the terms OF
which the home rule bill and the
Welsh disestablishment bill shall be
passed, with the understanding that
general election shall follow. ''The
only thing not absolutely settled in
the agreement between the parties,
says the newspaper, "was whether
the plural voting bill also should be
passed The difficulties in regard TO
this latter bill are likely to be sur
mounted, however" f
John Redmond, the Irish leader,
and the Nationalist members OF
] Parliament have remained serene,
confident that the home rule bill
will pass by consent, Carson's reign
of violence now being at an end.