The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-28
ENGLISH ARMY IN CONTROL,
GOVERNMENT EXPLAINS AND
OFFICERS PROFESS THEM
SELVES SATISFIED.
Unionists Say Future of Homo Rule
Bill Is Now i'm Doubt and That Gov
crnment Won't Dare to Press Meas.
uic, listers Claws Having Been
Shown.

London, March 23.--The detection
of the army officers who refused to
serve in Ulster is a closed incident,
but it's consequences are likely to
prove far reaching. Premier Asquith
and Col. Seely, secretary OF state for
war, made explanations before an ex-
cited and turbulent house today that
the whole affair was the result of a
misunderstanding.
This misunderstanding, it was in
ferred, although they did not directly
say so, was due to misconstruction of
the governments plan by the COM
manding general, Sir Arthur Paget,
whereby he informed the officers in
Ireland that they were to move on
Ulster for a repressive campaign.
Gen. Paget and three senior Off
GERS from the Curragh camp-Gen.
Cough, Col. McEwan and Col. Par
ker--were summoned to London for
a conference. According to official
statements the misunderstanding has
been cleared away and these officers
returned tonight to Ireland. Prior to
their departure they said they were
entirely satisfied. The terms on which
the officers remain at their posts were
not disclosed, but the general be-
lief Is that they were assured they
would not be compelled to fight
against the Ulster men. This is con-
sidered a distinct surrender by the
government.
The UniOnists firmly believe that
the government has participated in u
fiasco. They think that the most en-
terprising spirits of the cabinet, David
Lloyd George and Winston Spencer
Churchill. were the chief movers in
the plan and that the government
proposed a wholesale movement of
troops into Ulster to overcome the
covenanters by the display Of super
ior force and the arrest OF their lead
ers and that the plan was frustrated
only by the opposition Of the officers.
Some Of the Unionist members as
sert that Andrew Bonar Law recently
received letter quoting one of the
highest officers in Ireland as saying:
by Saturday there will be hun
dreds Of dead in Ulster
The Unionists also accuse the gov
ernment Of making scapegOat of
Gen. Paget for their own colossal
blunder."
The future OF the home rule bill
is in doubt. No declarations OF full
steam ahead" nor meeting force
with force" were heard today from
the Liberals in the debate in the
house OF commons. None of the fire
and frmness which permeated the
speeches Of ministers only last week
was in evidence. The army has check
mated the government, according to
the Unionists view. and the covenant
crs of Ulster have won their fight.
No one will be surprised IL the gov
ernment soon relinquishcs armed
force. as it's action had the imme-
diate result of striking shower of
sparks of class jcalousies.
Liberal newspapers of high stand
ing and influence. like the Daily
Chronicle and The Daily News. print
bitter denunciations Of the officers as
part Of the Tory aristocracy which in
sists upon the prerogative Of ruling
ton Of the army and that the SYSTEM
Of Otiiccring it from the SONS Of the
rich be superseded by system
whereby officers may be promoted
from the ranks
The Labor papers are equally bitter
and demand to know why privates
should not have the same privilege of
refusing to fire upon wOrkingmen
when called upon to suppress strike
riots.
What about the strilIers?" were
the shouts with which the Labor
members tried to answer Bonar
Laws defense Of the rights of the
officers to refuse to obey orders
against their consciences.
James Ramsay Macdonald, the So
cialist and Labor member for Lcices-
ter, said that more serious than the
Ulster question was the effect pro-
duced on the working people who
now were saying that the officers of
the army were prepared to shoot
down trade unionists on strike be-
cause of their prejudice against
trade unionism. but refused To do
their duty in Ulster because it CON
ilicted with their class bias an po-
litical prejudice