Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-04-13
THE irish HCMf Rule CRISIS

position declare for no compromise In COnlm'-
nifty with the parliament act the bill hal passed
the house of commons three times. hence within
given period could have been proclaimed the
law of the United Kingdom, The house Of lords
being pOwerless in such circumstances to vet"
it, when the present impd$Sc was reached. Why
the government hesitated to carry the business
through was explained early last month by Pre-
mier Asquith in parliament. A report of his
statement is here printed in part:
'sThey regarded it as an attempt at once sim
cere and considerable to place upon a solid foun-
they none of them believed that if it were placed
as it stood on the, statute book tomorrow its
practical operation would involve injustice or
suppression either to class or to individuals of
Ireland. If we made suggestions which, il. az
cepted, would require substantial additions to
the government plan, it was not because the
government we're running away from it; it was
because they were anxious that the changes
which were inevitable in Ireland should start
with the best chance of success. IF the bill was
passed as it stood there were prospects of acute
dissension and civil strife in Ulster. On the
other hand, if home rule were shpwrecked at
this stage or permanently mutilated or indefi-
nitely postponed, there was in Ireland, as
whole, an equally formidable outlook
Proceeding, the premier said that the hazards
in either event were such as to warrant in all
quarters not surrender OF principle, but any.
practical form of accommodation which would
lead to an agreed settlement. Lightly sketchng
the facts of conferences that had taken place on
the subject between the government and the
leaders of the opposition, Mr.. Asquith intinlated
that the confidential negotiations had failed to
produce an agreement. After mentioning pro-
posals himself and others which had been found
unacceptable, he announced the final decision as
follows:
4aThe government had come to the conclusion
that the best and, indeed, the only practical way
FAR the simplest and fairest plan-was to al
low the Ulster counties themselves to determine
in the first instance whether or not they desired
to be excluded Their plan was that any county
in Ulster was to be excluded for a certain time
If on poll being taken of the parliamentary
electors of the county, before the bill came into
operation, majority voted in favor of exclu-
SION
The poll would be taken, it was explained, on
a requisition signed by one-tenth of the electors
if presented within three months Of the date of
the passing of the bill. To he taken by ballot
the vote would be on the question: Are YOU in
favor of the exclusion of the county from the
Government of Ireland Act, 1914, for period
OF six years. The term of exclusion would be
not from the passing of the bill, but from the
first meeting of the Irish parliament in Dublin.
Six years the premier believed would give ample
time to test by experience the working of the
Irish parliament and this period was fixed SO
that there should be full and certain Oppor-
tunity for the electors of the whole United
Kingdom to pronounce whether or not eXclu-
sions should come to an end. "These proposals
we're put forward, 'the premier concluded amidst
ministerial cheers, las the price of peace" and
he asked for their deliberate and diSpasSonate
consideration.
Bonar Law, the Unionist leader, promptly re-
iected the proposal If the condition was that
Ulster must come in at the close of six YEARS,
even though it's hostility was as great as it was
that the proposal could he accepted by Ulster.
If the government adhered to this condition it
must be because they had made IN offer which
they knew could not he accepted. and which
could only have the effect Of improving their
tactical position in the house of commons. Sir
leader of the lStprmpn cove