Kentucky Irish American., 1914-04-11
Redmond Confident That the
Measure VIII Never BE
Repealed.
Asquith Again Takes His Seat
i'm the Commons without
Opposition.
GOVERNMENT MAJORITY EIGHTY

! again passed the House of Commons
on Monday night, which crowns with
victory the long and determined
| fight of the Irish Nationalists.
81 think in the present circumstances
there is nothing for the House of
Commons to do but proceed with the
home rule for Ireland bill as it now
| stands" This was the closing SEN
tence of a speech delivered Monday
in the House of Commons by John
E. Redmond, leader of the Irish
Nationalists, who made the final
speech on behalf of the Nationalist
party on the second reading of the
home rule bill The vote of the
House on the measure was arranged
to be taken that night. The days
proceedings in the House were
opened by Redmond, who pleaded
that the present stage OF the con-
troversy was so critical that all
energies must be devoted to facing a
settlement of the realities. He con-
tinued: 'The country as a whole is
sick and tired of the Irish question
and it must be settled here and
now" In the course of his speech
Redmond said: "The House of Com
mons owes it as a duty to Ireland
rule bill. l am profoundly confident
that when the bill has once been
passed it never will be repealed"
In an address on Saturday at
Ladybank, Scotland, Premier AS
quith definitely refused the Union
lists demand that the question of
home rule should be submitted to
the electors. He said: I'VE believe
it to be a wise and just measure.
We have disclaimed and will con-
tinue to disclaim any submission of
a. to the country. None the less, we
are earnestly anxious If 1t is possible
to work out an agreed settlement"
Premier Asquith again became a.
member of the House of Commons
on Wednesday, when he was re-
turned unopposed by his old con-
stituency of East Fife, Scotland. At
noon, as no other candidates had
put in an appearance, the returning
officer of the constituency declared
Herbert Henry Asquith duly elected.
Premier Asquith resigned his seat in
the House of Commons on March 80
after he had taken over the War
Secretaryship from Col. John Seely.
According to the British custom
member of Parliament, on accepting
an "office of profit under the
Crown" is compelled to give up his
seat in order to seek the approval of
his constituents TO rhis acceptance of
office. While the Premier was abb
sent from the legislative chamber
Reginald McKenna, Home Secretary,
performed the functions of leader of
the House. During this short period
the home rule bill passed its second
reading. The resignation of Col.
Seely as Secretary of War was
brought about by the crisis in the
army in connection with the Ulster
situation.
Although about half the popula-
tion of London spent Saturday after
noon demonstrating for and against
home rule, the majority of the par
aders losing their tempers and many
their purses, the day closed with a
sad damper for the Ulster sympa-
thizers. About 100000 of London's
tribe of nomads at an average cost
of fifty cents head for liquid re-
freshments had marched to Hyde
Park carrying miniature Union
Jacks and wearing badges inscribed
Support Loyal Ulster" With them
marched. in taxicabs, overfed MEM
bers of the Stock Exchange, holding
up heavy cigars. They were also
Joined later by the silk-hatted, frock-
coated members of the Carlton, Con-
stitutional and other Tody clubs,
some of whom went purple with rage
at the CHEEKY comments of the home
rule onlookers "You don't look as
IL you were ever evicted," wa some
of the comments especially annoy
ing. In fact, the proceedings would
have been entirely harmonious II II
had not been for the presence of
thousands of home rulers who re-
fused to bend the knee to Carson
and greeted Balfour and other Tory
speakers with derisive groans. To
cap the climax, despite all the flag
waving, trumpet calls, fervent reso-
lutions demanding an immediate
general election, references to the
home rulers, the suffragettes and the
British electorate came the awful
news that the Eastern Unionists, al
though given the opportunity to
throw out the Premier, chief author
of the deadly plot against Ulster,
At this piteous anti-climax. hereto
fore unknown, the demonstrators
melted away to their homes trying
to avoid each others gaze.