Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-09
Premier Asuuith Lays Before
Commons His Position on
Irish Home Rule.
EXCLUSION IS PROVIDED
FOR SIX-YEAR PERIOD
Hopes to Place Erin's Government
on Solid Foundation, He Says Z.
in Address.

LONDON, March 9.-Premlcr ASqu1th
today laid before the house of COM
mons his proposed concessions to u
ster in regard to it's position under the
Irish home rule bill.
The announcement, which had been so
long and anxiously awaited. was to the
effect that before the bill became oper
alive poll should be taken of the
parliamentary electors Of each county
to decide whether there should be an
exclusion Of the Ulster counties from
the provisions Of the bill for period
Of six years from the first meeting of
the new Irish parliament. If the ma
5ority of the voters are in favor OF
this scheme the county will automatic
ally be excluded for the prescribed period.
Before an attendance even bigger than
that which listened to the introduction
of the Irish home rule bill. Premier
Asquith began his statement shortly be-
fore o'clock. He prefaced his speech
with the declaration that The govern
ment makes these suggestions today. not
because 1t Is running away from the
original bill. but merely to allow the bill
to start with the greatest prospect of suc-
cess" He continued:
While there Is a possibility of acute
dissatisfaction and civil strife in Ulster.
yet If the bill should be shipwrecked or
postponed, the outlook is equally for
midable.
Justice Meant for All.
"SuppoI ers Of the bill are as convinced
today as ever OF the soundness Of Its
principles and machinery. They regard
it as sincere and considerate attempt to
place the Irisii government on a solid
foundation, without injustice or hardship
to any class.
The negotiations for a compromise
last autumn failed to result even in an
approach to an agreement but made
all realize more than ever the difficult
ties Of the situation. To meet listers
difficulties we tried to devise home rule
within homo rule. but that proposition
did not commend itself either to the
nationalists or the unionists in Ireland.
by such a scheme Ulster would have
been exempted from the administrative
and executive authority of the Dublin
government, while legislation to which
Ulster objected could not come into
| force until it had been sanctioned by
the British parliament.
Fear Of Serious Difficulties.
Another suggestion considered was
the inclusion of tho whole Of ireland IL
the bill for legislative and executive
purposes. but giving to the Ulster
counties the optior Of removing them.
clusion would tend to keep the con.
troversy alive and would involve seri.
GUS administrative and financial diff.
culties. However; believed that the
unionists would find in some form OF
1 Yrr q 1,a
tween the surrender Of their princi-
pies and the application of force.
THE governments plan is to allow the
| Ulster counties to determine whether
they should be excluded. We propose
that any county Of Ulster be allowed
to take a poll of its parliamentary cleo
tors for this purpose before the bill
| comes into operation. A bare majority
for exclusion would exclude the county
for a term Of six years from the date
ture The excluded counties would con-
| tinue their representation in the imperial
parliament, and the Irish executive
would have no control over them.
'Other details involved in this plan are
| to be announced later in a state paper. "
All Eager to Hear Statement.
bers Of the house Of commons to obta' n
witnessed today. All were eager to listen
to Premier Asquith's announced state
ment on the Irish home rule controversy.
Only on occasions when the king him
self has opened parliament have such
throngs gathered in the vicinity OF Par
Lament Square, where the people hailed
with welcoming cheers the statesmen of
the opposing political parties on their
arrival.
The doors Of the house were opened
at o'clock. Twenty members of parlia-
ment were waiting outside. Within two
hours every seat In the house. not re-
served for members Of the cabinet and
undersecretaries of state. had been ap-
propriated. Those persons holding tickets
for the public gallery also appeared early
on the scene and long before noon the
chamber presented very animated ap-
pearance.
John E. Redmond. leader Of the Irish
nationalist party. held a meeting of his
supporters in the house Of commons at
noon The terms of the statement to be
made later by Premier Asquith were COM
municated to the meeting. The proceed
ings were strictly private.