The Irish standard., 1914-04-18

the movement of the government
troops had been decided on as far
back as December last, and there was
not the remotest intention of coercing
Ulster" General Cough and the
three colonels Of cavalry regiments at
the Curragh, and also General Paget,
the Chief in Ireland.
had been summoned to London, and
statements had been heard from them.
The Army Council and the officers
were satisfied that there had been a
misunderstanding, and all that the
War Office demanded was that IL and
when orders were given they would
be obeyed. Their duties were ex.
planned. and they expressed full will
tngness to discharge those duties. In
conclusion, the Premier entered an
emphatic protest against the doctrine
that the army and navy was to deter.
mine the policy of the country. In the
House of Lords. on the same day, Lord
Morley, on behalf of the government,
stated that "His Majesty approves
these officers being ordered to rejoin."
The protest of the Prime Minister
gave the Unionists some idea that the
government were not going to submit
to the veto Of the army. But, mean.
while, a storm of indignation against
the officers and the Unionist party
was rising In the house and in the
country. 1t was felt that the officers
should have been dismissed or their
designations accepted, and the idea
which got abroad that the King was
siding with the officers and the Union.
lists intensified public feeling on the
subject.
John Wards Speech.
When Tuesday came, the govern.
ment was faced by the allegation that
General Cough and the officers had
gone back with written guarantees
that they should not be asked to
coerce ULSTER" and the House met
in state of great excitement and un.
certainty. The Unionist papers stated
that the written guarantee had been
given, and Colonel Seely, the Secre-
tary of War, stated that he would lay
all the documents on the table on We'd
nesday. The question, however, was
raised by Mr.. Amery, q Tory, in an
amendment on the Consolidated Fund
Bill. He was followed by Mr.. John
Ward, the LiberafLabour Member for
Stoke-on-Trent, an ex-soldier and navy,
a man of commanding presence and
physique. and a thorough democrat
and home ruler. His speech was
defence of Parliament against the veto
of the army. Its climax was reached
when he said:
I'VE rejoice that you (meaning the
Tory party) have made the issue plain.
1t is, are the people of this country
free to make their laws absolutely
without interference from either King
or army?"
The cheers which followed this pas
sage lasted for three or four minutes.
Such scene has not been witnessed
in the Commons within living memory.
Liberals, Labour men, and Nationalists
sprang to their feet and waved their
handkerchiefs and order papers, and
cheered again and again whilst the
Tories sat dumbfounded, amazed,
cowed at the situation which their plot
against Ireland and democracy had
created. John Ward had interpreted
the mind of the Commons and Of the
country, and his words and the scene
which followed would never be for
gotten.
A Critical Day.
On Wednesday morning the cabinet
met and, before the Commons assem-
bled, Tories were betting on q dissolu-
tion within twenty-four hours. But it
did not come off. Colonel Seely ex-
planned that he had added these two
paragraphs to the letter which the
cabinet drafted to General Cough:
Ellis Majesty's government must re-
Ldlu tuelF IlbuL " uSc oh IA0 AOASCo VI
the crown in Ireland or elsewhere to
maintain law and order, and to sup
port the civil power in the ordinary
execution of it's duty.
But they have no intention what
ever of taking advantage of this right
to crush political opposition to the
policy of the Home Rule Bill"
He had misled the cabinet in the
INSTRUMENTATION he ten
dered his resignation. The Premier
refused to accept 4e resignation, and
said:
$50 long as we are responsible for
the government of this country. we
will not be required to do in certain
quences may be, to the claim Of any
body of men in the service Of the
Crown, be they officers or men, to de-