The Irish standard., 1914-06-20
BUSINESS AFFECTED
BY UNCERTAINTY
Business Men in North of Ireland
Anxious to Come to
Agreement.
General Election Planned by Tories
to be Held in July.
National Volunteers Have Given
Affair New Turn and Force
Says 7. P. O'Connor.

We have had a week of sleepy
tranquility in the houes of commons
and scarcely mention. except incl
IDENTIFY, Of the Irish question. But
the Irish question still haunts every
body's thoughts and everyone
watches with greatest scrutiny every
speech or incident which may seem
to forecast the uncertain future.
The outstanding factor this week
is Redmond's open approval of the
nationalist volunteer movement.
Everybody recognizes that this in
PRODUCES momentous new factor
into the whole situation. The argu-
ment that home rule involved dang
ers quite as real to peace in ireland
as that threatened by Ulster orange
men now is realized by English opin-
ion which. heretofore. was rather in
clined to accept the view hammered
in by the tories that. because southern
Ireland presented such a contrast in
Its tranquility to northern efferves-
cence, home rule had ceased to be
as passionately demanded as ever.
The national volunteers produced
further effect by proving to the Or
angemen that. If they began attacks
on Ulster Catholics, they will not
confront unarmed and unorganized
victims as in the riots Of two years
ago.
The tories are also brot face to
face with some Of the inevitable con-
sequences that follow Carson's ap-
peal to rifles. By curious and ex-
pected contradiction the tories of
England already are beginning to de-
mand the suppression Of the Nation
al Volunteers, forgetful of their pat
ronage of the similar movement by
the orange volunteers.
A further factor which helps to-
ward settlement of the Irish quest
ion by producing q reaction against
Carsonism, is the continued ferocity
of the suffragists. which now pre-
sents to the English public the enor-
nous growth in lawlessness which
Carsonism involves.
A further indication Of this disas-
trous change in the old English atti-
tude of law-abidingness was given
during the debate on the new insur-
ance act for the unemployed by the
open threat of the labor leaders that
when a slump followed the present
gigantic trade boom the workingmen
without employment and without
food would not accept conditions
with the same resignation as in the
past and would follow the example
of Carson's orangemen.
Thus. though Carson's speeches In
Ulster and Bonar Laws last speech
in Scotland breathe the same old
party fury and though the die-hards
are at the present in the ascendancy
in the tory party. shrewed observers
persist that the whole struggle will
end in some settlement. The chief
difficulty to settlement is the absence
of firm leadership among the tories
Bonar Law being much discredited
It is still believed that Carson
would welcome a solution but finds
his difficulty in the greater violence
of his own followers. There are
rumors of dissensions in the orange
forces. Some extremists already are
beginning to suspect that Carson
may agree to some settlement they
detest. but other forces from a diff.
ferent direction make Carson's po-
sition more difficult.
Business Belfast at last is beginn-
ing to feel the severe pressure OF
this uncertainty and this is accentu-
ated by the great interruption OF
business relations with southern Ire
land. It is announced in the London
tory organ that recently five linen
merchants Of Belfast have failed.
It is difficult to forecast what pre-
else form settlement finally will take
It may be peace, It may be rupture
On one hand the die-hards may gel
the house Of lords to reject the
amending bill in the hope Of provok.
ing a reb bellion In Ulster and thereby
forcing the government to an i'm.
mediate general election and tory
organizers certainly are preparing fol
an election In July.
I remain convinced that the
amending bill will be passed with
Carsonite amendments in the house
IH.I ~ d