New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-22
Lloyd George Submits
Irish Convention Plan

reprosch Great Britain with having neg
lccted 20 set her own house in order.
When engaged in a lie and death
struggle we do not want a fostering
sore on our hands" said Lloyd George
IN introducing TIL proposal. "EVi-
dencc has accumulated from many
quarters as 20 the Importance from the
war point Of view OF getting the contro-
versy settled in order 20 win the good
will and cooperation Of the Irish race
throughout the world. lrishmeD have
a passionate love of liberty. We want II
ranged on the side of the Allies in this
world struggle for freedom, instead OF
having il torn by conflicting appeals.
"As the fight proceeded, we realized
more and more that We should need all
our strength to win triumph worthy
Of the sacrifices we were making. Inc
support of Ireland as a whole is essen
tial to victory. For that reason | ap-
peal to 1rishmcn of all sections, and
especially the patriotic spirit of Ul-
stcr. TO help that healing"
Though there is as yet no agree
ment on the convention within the
Irish parties. the indications are that
il will be held. The Nationalists arc
heartily for il. at least John Redmond
is, and the Ulstermcn. though more
reserved, cvincc a tendency to follow
Sir Edward Carson. who wants a set
uement of the whole question.
All To BE Represented
The plan is to summon Immediately
a body of representative Irishmen in
Ireland 20 meet behind closed doors
and draft and submit to the British
Parliament a constitution for the fut-
ure government of Ireland within the
empire. The delegates would be
chosen by representative bodies, would
be drawn from all classes in Ireland
and would include Sim Feiners. The
government reserved the right to name
the presiding officer, and tonight it
looks as though the choice lay among
Baron Shsughnessy, president of the
Canadian Pacific railway, ex-Premier
Asquith, Lord Donoughmore. General
SHUTS, the Duke Of Connought and
James Lowther. Speaker of the House
of Commons.
Lloyd Georges speech was clever,
adroit and sympathetic, expressing IN
every word his anxiety to arrive at a
conclusion, and il influenced every sec
tion of the House from the start. His
declaration that. all English attempts
at a settlement having failed, il was
now incumbent upon Ireland TO try her
hand at hammering out a solution, met
with an eager response.
Government Aid Pledged
Laying great emphasis on the fact
that the convention would include rep
resentatives of all interests, classes
and creeds. he promised that the gov
eminent would give legislative effect
TO any agreement reached. and would
help in every direction, because "resti-
tuition and reparation begin at home
His peroration, appealing TO 1rishmen
of all faiths on the ground of patriot
ism, made a great impression on the
House.
He said that there was one thing
common TO the failure of all attempts
to arrive at settlement-that the
proposals had emanated from a Brit
ISL government. The present govern
ment, therefore, had decided TO invite
Irishmen themselves to put forward
their proposals. Hitherto Great Brit
ain had undertaken all the construc-
ton and Ireland all the criticism. Once
Irishmen were confronted with the
problem they would give due weight
TO the difficulties. The convention
method, he declared. had succeeded in
Canada, Australia and South Africa.
and he believed that what had been
accomplished there could be achieved
in ireland.
The parties which entered the con
vention, the Premier announced, would
be pledged 20 no conclusion. but every
man would be pledged 70 do his best
toward settlement. No proposal
would be shut out and no participant
would be committed TO any scheme.
With respect to finances, the
Premier thought perhaps he ought to