Evening star., 1916-07-25
Back to Council Order.

I The situation in Ireland thus remains
where it was, with the additional fac
| tor of the unrest brought about by the
disappointed hopes of a settlement OF
| the issues In the absence of any
amending bill the situation now Is
| that the order in council postponlna
| the operation of the home rule act 5
| it stands on the statute book untll SIN
| months after the lapse of eighteen
I months, mentioned in the order III
council, issued in September. 1919; un-
| less the war has previously ended, re-
| mains in force.
Mr.. Redmond characterized the new
proposals as an absolute and disgrace1ui
breach of faith toward his supporters.
| Mr.. Lloyd George regarded the national
ist failure to agree to them as dlsaster.
while Sir Edward Carson. the unlonls'
leader in Ulster. declared 1t would ne a
good thing if he and Mr., Redmond couio
shake hands on the floor of the mouse.
but that to bring such an event ABOUT
there must be no idea of the coercion of
Ulster. :.
1t is believed in many quarters that II
an election took place at the present tune
Mr.. Redmonds followers would run
appear to have lost the confidence OF
many of their constituents.
Sir Horace Plunkett of the department
of agriculture in Ireland. recently eN-
pressed the opinion that Mr.. Redmond
followers would meet with a hostile re-
cepton from the ma jority Of the Irishmen.
Meanwhile the recently formed Imperial
/ Unionist Association. comprising many
members Of both houses. is working nara
| to prevent any settlement of the dlincnitE:
| and it is likely that another debate will
take place in the house of commons short
! ly on the Irish question.
During Premier Asquith's speech, in
which he announced that the ca blnet had
| failed to reach an agreement on the nome
! rule question, many cries of Small ma
| tionalities" were raised.
Lloyd George Offers to Quit.
The Daily News reports that David
Lloyd George. in view of the failure
of the Irish negotiations. in which he
| was the chief agent, offered to resign
| his office
The premier's attitude" says the
News, "is understood to be that if Mr.,
| Lloyd George resigns he should con-
| slider himself obliged to resign also.
| The matter is not now being discussed
There is no doubt that the events OF
| the past week. eliminating in the irish
! fasco" adds the papers, have weak
ened the coalition governments posi-
| ton"
editorially earnestly and graVely on
| the collapse of the Irish negotiations.
| The Daily Telegraph says:
THE abandonment of the recent hopes
| of settlement means trouble-trouble
| in ireland and trouble in the house of
commons We have the milestone tied
once more around our necks in a heav-
ier and more dangerous shape than
ever and we shall be fortunate if it
does not hamper our progress at every
step through the deep waters to be
traversed."
The Daily News says: The collapse
of the negotiations leaves the Irish
problem not merely unsettled, but
worse than it has been at any time
since the eighties"
The Express says: THE whole busi-
ness is a deplorable tragedy. There
has been plethora of delay and mis-
understanding until now we are faced
with the breakdown of a political truce
which has existed since the beginning
of the war, and the leaders of the ma :
tion. who should be devoting all their
minds to defeating the enemy, are
again to be distracted by an internal
feud and dissension."
The Graphic says: Once more the
attempt to esta blish home rule has
failed because. like previous home rule
schemes, it neither satisfies Irish senti-
ment nor secures justice for Great
Britain"
From Bad to Worse.
Apparently the status of Ireland has
gone steadily from bad to worse ever