The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-12-11

Ireland as a part of the general
scheme of Home Rule all around"
This should settle the question
once and for all, of the position
of Lloyd George, certainly his
own biographer would not mis-
state his position on so impor-
tant a question. Analysing this
idea of a federal scheme of Home
Rule which was brought out in
the early history of the Home
Rule Bill in its last passage over
the veto of the House of Lords;
this scheme of federal Home
Rule was discussed. The same
author in the following significant
paragraph, gives a basis for fed
eral scheme of Home Rule with
England, Scotland, Ireland and
Wales included in the federation.
IF these portents and move
ments at home and abroad, in do
nestle and imperial matters and
policies, indicate anything, they
indicate the possibility of the set
Element, by consent, of the Home
Rule problem on a Federal basis
which would give England, Scot
land, Ireland and Wales equal and
simultaneous powers to legislate
for and to administer each its own
domestic business. The corollary
Of truly Imperial Parliament,
representing all parts of the en-
pire, and entrusted with the con-
troll of everything pertaining to
distinctively Imperial matters and
interests would appear to be al
most inevitable"
1t is certain that no more I'M
portant advice could be given to
the Irish people in connection
with their centuries-old struggle
than to stop watching for the
empty words, HOME RULE,
and direct their attempts to the
significance rather than a title
given to any movement that af-
fects the consideration of Ire
lands destiny. All discussions on
the Irish question or movements,
probably sincere, probably other
wise, has very little to do with the
settlement of this controversy on
a national basis and indicates that
Ireland as a distinct political en-
tity, separate political unit un-
der circumstances allowing the
fulfllment of national aspirations
is not thought of. What is known
as Nationalistic Ireland would be
given to the Unionist side and
Ireland would be not even a Brit
ish province, but Great Britain
itself. The political desire is to
sap Ireland of that vitality which
has to do with national aspira-
tions which foster the individual
ity of the Irish people-to destroy
those agencies which have lent
support to the principle which
recognized Ireland as a separate
nationality. The members of the
Irish Parliamentary party have
consented to this program and
each have named themselves or
consented to be named as agents
of English Imperialists. There
has never been and it is safe to
predict that there will never be
an Englishman who believes in
Home Rule and who can support
the principle that Ireland is to be
recognized as nation of people
distinctive by reason of racial
characteristics, temperament and
religion, apart from English Inn
perialism. 1t requires no prophet
to foretell that scheme of Home
Rule based upon the principle of
federation, is the only one that
will appeal to an English Parlia-
ment, and is the only ground upon
which the so-called Home Rule
will be recognized. Home Rule
has taken hold of the Protestant
church in Ireland in so far as its
members can see no hindrance to
the future prosperity of Protes-
tantism and the guided and guard
ed progress of Protestant ascend