The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-04-07
PARLIAMENT PASSES
HOME RULE BILL ON
To THIRD READING
Bitter Speeches Made on Floor.
Bonar Law Makes Compro-
mise Ofer----Consent Rather
Than Force Strongly Advised

LONDON. April 6--For the third
time In the life of the present parlia-
ment the home rule bill passed its
second reading in the house of com
mons tonight. The division was on
party lines. and the vote WAS 356 TO
27s. a majority of eighty for the
measure. The majority Was lot when
ii was passed in 1912, and 9S when
II went through the house of com
mons in 1918. The normal majority
of the government coalition IS ss. The
reduction To eighty tonight was main
~ due to the fact that William
O'Bren and his Irish followers re-
Trained from voting. which drew
cheers from the opposition.
AT the evening session Timothy
Healy Nationalist member for North
east Cork, made a bitter jibing
speech at the expense of John Red
mond ard his followers, whom he ac-
cused of mishandling the Ulster ques-
ton. Among other things he tainted
the Devlins (Joseph Devlin is an Irish
Nationalist member for Belfast) with
being the hereditary horse boys of
the O'Neiiis. There was much per
sonal pickering between the follow
ers of John Redmond and William
O'Brien. Several of the speakers back
OF the benches pleaded for a settle
ment of the home rule question by
consent.
Criticise Grey's Absence.
The members of the opposition Sc
verely criticised the absence OF Sir
Edward Grey, who was nominaily in
charge of the bill during the absence
of Premier Asauith. Lord Robert
Cecil said 1t was an insult TO the
house. Bonar Law, leader of the
Unionists. said Ii was neither fair nor
respectful 1t was the general UNI
Outstanding that Sir Edward had gone
fishing in Scotland.
Mr.. Bonar LAW then made this
offer
IL the government would submit the
bill at O. general election, and the
country approved 1t, the house OF
lords would pass it without amend e
ment, without delay. ard without de-
priving the government of any or Its
privileges / nder the parlia rent act.
MIR Law said the marquis IF Lands
dIwne, lea her of the Opr"''tioa in the
house If 'o.lrs. had authnrizeo him to
say this.
Must Win Ulster"
Referring to the talk If n nos
sble renewal of the conversations
between the rival parties. Mr.. Law
said that il such q proposal was
made the OPPOSITION would certainly
accept, but" he added, what is
the use of conversations when AIR.
Redmond vatoe' any Prop ,sals Mr..
Mr. Law said that IL the government
would themselves accept the respon-
sibility of eliminating Mr. Redmond,
the difficulties would disappear and
a settlement would come.
Mr. Birrell. chief secretary for Ire
land. closed he debate for the gov
eminent in n conciliatory speech. He
commended that considerable progress
towards settlement had already heen
made, and il both sides put their
heads together. a solution could be
achieved MIR. Birrell dwelt on the
horrors Of civil war, and said
Ulster must be Won. Her urWii-
Iingness TO share in the government
Of Ireland must be conquered. bat It
cannot be conquered by force. For
this reason We made proposals. along
g. line which. at all events. approached
to some degree the the claims OF
the signers Of the Ulster covenant.
Mr.. Birrell pleaded earnestly tor
settlement. He said the government
was willing to meet the Ulster men
and do the utmost that-w possible
to satisfy them. but they couIl not
parley forever with threats of force.