The chronicle=news., 1914-06-29
Home RULE soon
To BECOME A
REALITY

London, June 29.-While there
has been a halt during June in the
progress of the home rule bill to-
ward the statute book, it will make
its third appearance before the house
of lords on June 80. It is every
where accepted as safe prediction
that the lords will not reject it with
its usual overwhelming majority, and
thereby bring the famous parliament
tary act into play for its first truly
revolutionary part in British his
tory.
Under, the terms of this act Mr..
Asquith, the prime minister, who is
father of the present home rule
scheme, will present the bill to the
king for his signature, and with this
it will become law. Unionist lead
ers have denounced this action as
"coercing the king" but no one
doubts that the royal assent will be
given. So far as coercion is con-
cerned. no one knows what are King
Georges personal views, but the lib
erals profess to believe that at heart
he is one of themselves.
After the bill itself the lords will
be called upon to consider the amend
ing act which will be introduced as
government measure. The present
prospect is that the amending act
will contain only Mr.. Asquith's first
olive branch of six years exclusion
from the Dublin government for
those counties which choose 1t by a
referendum.
With home rule pending Ireland
remains remarkably free from the
fierce enmities and riotous bloodshed
which have been the order of the day
during former home rule crises. This
tranquility is not due to the strong
hand Of the British government. but
on the contrary to the Irish people
themselves who have taken control
of affairs into their own hands.
The Viceroy of Ireland. Lord Aber-
deem, the Right Honorable Augustine
Birrell, the literary celebrity. who Is
cfiief secretary of Ireland. and the
Irish office in London are mere spec
tators of events. While they look on
seemingly helpless. the real power
in ireland is passing into the hands
of two armed bodies which have no
official status, and which exist in de-
fiance of the law These armies are
the Ulster volunteers. composed OF
Ulster protestants which have been
forming for more than a year and a
half, and the nationalist volunteers
who have been enlisted only a few
months and who have very strong
organization in Belfast itself, and in
other parts Of Ulster, as well as in
the Catholic counties of the south.
There has been startling growth
of the nationalist volunteers during
| the last few weeks. 1t is not an
arm of the nationalist political party.
for it's leaders are the most radical
home rulers who are opposed to any
scheme for the exclusion of Ulster
from the projected Irish government.
Instead of enmity toward the Ulster
protestants 1t shows wish for an
understanding with them on a plat
form for the control of Irish affairs
by Irishmen.
If reports from Belfast are true the
nationalist members of parliament
have become alarmed by the power
of the army, and are trying to gain
control by swamping 1t with enlist
ments from the membership Of the
Order OF Hibernians.
While the Ulster volunteers. with
more than years training. form a
very efficient military force estimat-
ed at 10000 armed men, their home
rule imitators are yet comparative
ly crude body. The Covenanters Of
Ulster have modern rifles with bay
onets. a fair supply of ammunition,
and few gatling guns; their drill
and signalling methods are thorough
i and up to date and even the regular
army admires the swiftness with