New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-01
Asquith in Speech in the
House Fails to Appease
Nationalist.
NAMES H. E. DUKE
AS NEW SECRETARY
Redmond Announces His Party
Is Absolved from Association
With Coalition Government.

London, July Slime DEBATE IN tnc
House of Commons to-day on John Dill
Ions motion, urging the government 70
disclose its plan for the government OF
Ireland during the war, seems to lave
left the prospect of an amicable settle
ment Of the Irish problem as distant
as before.
Premier Asquith made q conciliatory
speech, but &c had little to announce
tending to appease Nationalist sus-
ceptibility. Although he expressed the
conviction that a permanent settle
ment would be reached sooner than
many persons imagined, John Red
mond, the Nationalist leader, made j.
clear that his party was dissatisfied
and would henceforth consider itself
absolved from association with the CO.
alition government and free to criti-
else and oppose it independently in any
circumstance.
The main ground for his objections
TO the governments plan for an interim
government was that it would be in
the hands Of the new Secretary for
Ireland, Henry Edward Duke, and the
Attorney General, Sir Edward Carson,
and himself. lie said he did not think
il worth Sir Edward Carson's while TO
seek TO vary the terms OF the agree
ment.
Accepted as Temporary Measure.
Mr.. Redmond added that the position
Of the Nationalist party was that IN
the midst Of great war II was I'M
possible seriouly 10 consider per-
mnnent settlement Of these questions.
They had agreed 10 every word of the
written contract. which was accepted
By their followers as A temporary meas
ure. He had objected TO the forma-
ton Of a coalition government q. the
FIRST, but what they were now getting
was pure Unlonist government in
Ireland. He did not care how able or
broadminded such government might
be, he objected TO it altogether. II
would cause the most profound dissst-
isfaction in Ireland, and, instead Of
allaving the present unrest, would tend
Tho government, he commended. ought
instantly TO withdraw the proclamation
Of martial law. lie assured the House
that throughout the unhappy circum-
stances of this controversy he had not
been able for a moment to forget the
war. Nothing had happened, or could
happen, to alter his views about that.
He repeated that the very highest in
terests of Ireland consisted in that
country doing her duty, and she was
doing Il now.
Features of Asquith's Speech.
The leading features Of Premier As.
quith's speech were the announcement
Of the new Secretary for Ireland, his
sidetracking of the so-called Plunkett
scheme for an advisory council, which
had been strongly supported outside ~
the House, but which the Premier de-
clared was imprao .icable, and the an
nouncement that there would be no
reduction of the military forces in Ire
land.
Joseph Devlin said he hoped that the
next time he marched with the nation
alists through the division lobby. it
would be for the purpose of turning
out the coalition government. lie
warned the government not 70 kill the
constitutional movement for home rule
and charged the premier with cowar-
dice in turning over to Mr.. Lloyd
George the attempt 10 reach a settle
ment.
Mr. Devlin said he could never agree
to q reduction OF representation in
Westminster until a permanent settle
ment was reached. He had never
heard "a more idiotic" proposal than
the one put forward by Mr.. Asquith,
and he suggested to Sir Edward Carson
that what British statesmen failed TO
settle Irishmen might settle for them
selves.
Might Be Possible After War.
Andrew Bonar Law, Secretary for the
Colonies, said il was Lord Lansdowne's
personal opinion that though II was
undesirable to put the Lloyd George
agreement into force now, IL might be
possible after the war. Ulster could
be brought into the operation OF the
Home Rifle bill Only by convincing her
or BY coercion, and u the Nationalist
considered coercion undesirable they
were on the same ground as the Union
ist members Of the Cabinet.
Nobody. the Secretary continued
could foresee the distribution Of the
parties after the next general cleo
ton. If the Nationalists would judge
all questions on their merits, he was
not strongly opposed TO full irish
representation, but the Nationals SIS
themselves had admitted that they
would support whatever party that
backed them. The Unionist members
OF the Cabinet were willing TO allow
the Home Rule bill TO come into force
now. in order 10 get rid of the feeling
of suspicion which existed in ireland.
Mr.. Dillon's motion was formally