The Irish standard., 1916-12-30
LLOYD GEORGE As
viewed IN IRELAND
Dublin, December II, 1916.

1JuUllAS JCCllUCl IL, 1JlO.
The downfall of Premier Asquith
with the dictatorship of David Lloyd
George, the new hero of the Tory penny
press, is no surprise to Ireland. The
sensational London Daily Mail has a
larger circulation and wider influence
in some parts of Ireland than Mr.. Red
mond's chief organ, the Dublin Free
mans Journal. The chagrin of the
main men of the Irish party is clearly
shown at the mere mention of Lloyd
George. There is no doubt, within the
limitations Of British policy, that Mr..
Asquith was friend of Mr.. Redmond
At least his intentions were always
meant to bring about Home Rule if it
could be done peacefully. The resist
ance of Belfast and the fear of Car
sons influence in England held AS
quith back.
Lloyd George has thrown so many of
his friends and policies to the wolves
the past year that he is not trusted by
Irish Nationalist. He is condemned
more than any one else for the failure
of the last negotiations The Irish
members of Parliament insist that the
clever Welsh statesman played sharp
game with Mr.. Redmond, read his
hand, threw him down hard, and near
ly broke him with his own friends in
Ireland. There is no Sim Fein politi-
cal party in Ireland, which absence
alone saved Mr.. Redmond from extinc-
ton.
Yet we hear here that the Irish ques-
tion is OH 1.-THE verge of settlement"
That Sir Edward Carson enters the
cabinet on an express understanding
with Lloyd George that some kind of a
Home Rule bill will be agreed to. One
of the officials at Dublin Castle says it
is certain that some measure will be
passed that will meet the exigencies of
the demand for Home Rule. Bonar
Law has already been won to it, like
wise Lord Harmsworth The Cecils
and the Landsdownes are to walk the
plank. The projectors figure that
Home Rule will be worth ten army
corps in Ireland, Australia and Canada.
The Irish prisoners camps in England
are to be abandoned and the rebels
returned to their homes The rebels
in dungeons, OH long term sentences,
are to be favored with combinations.
There is to be general amnesty. The
executions, deportations, murders of
innocent men, prison sentences cost
the army at least half a million men
in Ireland, Australia and Canada. So
runs the talk today in Dublin. But the
people have suffered so much and been
tricked so often that they are sus-
picious of Greeks bearing gifts" and
betray little interest. The war goes
on consuming all before it, much of
Dublin is in ruins, poverty stalks OH
all sides, excepting among the poll
ticians, Home Rule is no longer a rem
edy for Irish ills and will not add $50
recruits to the army in all Dublin.
Parliament will adjourn until Feb
ruary, when Lloyd George, it is re-
ported, will bring in compromise
Home Rule bill which will give pro-
portional representation to the Union
lists from all counties in Ireland to the
proposed new Irish House of Commons.
I. p. O'Connor, Irish Nationalist,
M. p, has announced his support of
Lloyd George with some few reserva-
tions. He says that Lloyd George is
the one man in Great Britain who can
win the war and that England is now
with her back against the wall. OCon-
nor says that he insists that England
must go on until the last man and the
last cannon are exhausted. Some
lingo is Tay Pay who writes for Lon
don lingo press, but the redoubtable
Liverpool 1rishman is past 20 and does
not do the fighting. In spite of what
he says there is growing peace SEN
timent among all classes OF nation
becoming exhausted. Even press CEN
sored Dublin is impaled at last with
the idea that Great Britain is losing
the war. Premier Massey of New Tea
land, an lrishman, visiting his rela-
tives here, believes that Home Rule
for Ireland will serve to increase the
Australian army. The Irish over the
seas recently defeated CONSUMPTION in
Australia. They will not accept en-
forced military service in Ireland. If
Home Rule comes it will arrive too
late to be of service to the military
authorities. Issues of life and death
to Ireland are considered more vital
than the operations of local govern.
ment. The people fear more taxes
from it plus the war taxes.
The announcement of Sir Edward
Carson as the right hand of Lloyd
George causes CONSERVATION here