The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-03-28
THE ULSTER SITUATION.

attention on the tight for Irish
Home Rule, and various surmises
have been made as to the probable
outcome of the unprecedented
situation in which the Liberal
party in the English Parliament
finds itself in regard to this
measure. The efforts made by Mr..
Asquith to conciliate the people
of Ulster by allowing them, if
they so desire, to remain tempo
rarily at least outside the juris-
diction Of the Irish Parliament,
raised a storm of protest and was
met by threats of armed opposi-
ton. The war-like bluff made by
the Unionists and the resignation
Of upwards of hundred officers
of the British army in Ireland,
threatened the tenure of office of
the Liberal party. For a time the
situation was critical, but it now
seems as if some means would be
found to avert the impending
danger.
During the past few years the
Obstetrics have acted in a dis
creditable manner towards the
Home Rule movement. From the
noisy agitation which they have
kept up, one would think that
they represented numerically a
large element in the population Of
Ireland. AS matter Of fact they
represent little more than a corner
of Ulster. They do not comprise
all the Protestant population Of
that Province nor are they de-
scended from the old Irish race.
Their titles to whatever they pos
sess are based on confscation and
colonization. Since their advent on
Irish soil, they have dominated
everything and now that their
ascendancy is threatened they
cannot give up without a fight.
They are, and always have been,
English in thought, word and
deed. They have no sympathy
with Irish aspirations for that
measure of Home Rule to which
Ireland is entitled and which the
British Government is eager to
bestow upon her.
By their lifelong attitude, by
their threats Of armed opposition,
by their attempts to stir up Sec
tartan bigotry by making Home
Rule synonymous with Rome
Rule, they have shown themselves
unworthy of whatever marks of
consideration they would be other
wise entitled to. By their refusal
to accept the conciliatory meas
ures proposed by Mr.. Asquith,
they have placed themselves out
side the sympathy of all the
friends of Home Rule. Evidently,
they are afraid to put Mr.. AS
quith's proposals to the test be-
cause they know that their nu-
merical insignifcance would then
be shown up. Their threat to
bring about a crisis on the ques-
ton Of Home Rule is nothing
more than another manifestation
of the buster and bluff which
have always characterized them.
Nor can the action of the off,
GERS who resigned from the army
rather than take sides against
their brethren in Ulster be re-
garded as very significant. These
officers, who have now returned
to duty, are for the most part
members of the British aristocracy
who have purchased their COM
missions. Their removal from the
roster Of officers would be bless
ing to the British army. Their
recent action ought to lead to the
abolition of the custom of selling
influential positions in the army
and bring about a reorganization
that will place it on a proper foot
ing.
The failure Of the English Gov
eminent to courtmartial these off
GERS for disobedience to orders
shows how weak England is in the
face of a crisis such as that
brought about by the attitude of
Ulster towards Home Rule. The
British Government ought to use
strong measures in putting down
this opposition from small Sec
ton of the north Of Ireland. If
she has no power to suppress, by
armed force if necessary, this re-
volt on the part of the Obstetrics,
she ought to turn them over to
the Irish to be dealt with as they
deserve. The people of the rest of
Ireland have shown great self-con-
troll under this unprecedented pro-
vocation, and if Ulster attempts to
carry out her bluff by some overt
act or reprisal, the Irish people
who have at heart the good of
their country should not be
blamed if they rise up against
their oppressors and settle the
question in a way that will teach
the Obstetrics wholesome respect
for those who are not English