New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-10
Another Crisis in Ireland

II is the complaint of the lrlsn Nalloh-
alists that Mr.. Lloyd George has taken "a
position which, if adhered to- would IN
volve denial of self-government to Ireland
forever" If this is true 1t Is IN some
measure a justification Of the govern
ment's policy, for it implies frank recog-
milton of the determined and lasting oppo-
sition of considerable part Of the popula-
ton of Ireland to an Irish Parliament. 1t
IMPLIES an admission on the part OF the
Nationalists that Northeast Ulster VIII
never consent to be ruled from Dublin, and
that the United Ireland for which they
clamor can be secured only by coercion.
This is already admitted openly by some
ingenious enthusiasts. Thus Mr.. Padralc
Column. in letter printed elsewhere on
this page. declares himself at a loss to un-
derstand Mr.. Lloyd Georges determine
ton that Ulster shall not be coerced.
"Whv not?" he asks, simply: "Has not
Nationalist Ireland been coerced for CEN
turies?" In word, the Nationalist VIII
have nobody over them, but they do not say
that they will have nobody under them. II
q norton of Ireland refuses to submit 1t
must be forced to submit. What Ireland
resents as an injustice Ulster must bow to.
Hitherto Mr.. Redmond and his sup
porters have been more conciliatory tow
ard their opponents in the North. They
have spoken hopefully of winning their
confidence. and when the war broke out
thew retreated from a difficult position by
conserving to the postponenrent OF home
Rule. But since then a great many new
difficulties have arisen, and the most ardent
friends of the Redmondites cannot pretend
that their position is strengthening in the
ewes of their own countrymen.
The truth is that the Nationalist party
is weaker to-day than it has been in many
years. and the ultimatum presented to the
Premier the other day is manifestly bold
attempt to regain some semblance OF au-
thoritv in the representation of Irish SEN
timent. The party has suffered some Sc
we're rebuffs of late: notable instance was
the recent defeat of the Nationalist candi-
date for North Roscommon. 1t matters
little whether the successful candidate is
a professed follower of Sim Fem or not:
the result showed clearly the weakness
of the Redmondites-nor can it be cues
toned that they are fully conscious OF
their weakness.
It was necessary to do something If the
marty in Parliament was to retain any
credit at home; hence the demand for the
immediate enforcement of Home Rule.
This Mr.. Lloyd George appears to have
agreed to. but only on the condition that
the dissenting counties should be LETT out
And what he said was nothing but PLAIN
statement of an obvious truth-that the
use of force to compel Ulster to submit
was a policy no party could possibly sup
mort. II is true enough, as the Liberal
press observes, that he must have known
Mr.. Redmond could not consent to the par
tition of Ireland; but, on the other hand,
it required very little perspicacity on Mr..
Redmond's part to foresee that the coer-
cion of Ulster was out of the question.
The appeal to the people of this coun-
try "to urge upon the British government
the duty of applying to Ireland the great
principles so clearly and splendidly enun-
ciated by President Wilson" is of little mo-
ment. because it is manifestly problem
in which foreign interference could be Of
no service. Many Irishmen, including Mr.
Colum, who supplies us with some fancltul
figures from Alsace, compare Ireland with
other small nationalities by way of show
ing the injustice of not suppressing the un-
willing minority. The comparison Will not
do. for Home Rule has been offered to all
but that small part Of Ireland which is
Enthusiastically opposed to it, and irrevo-
cably so, as the Nationalist themselves
formally admit in their manifesto.
1t is a minority that refuses TO submit
to an Irish Parliament, but it is COM
pact minority. The 470,000-odd who SOL
emily pledged themselves "to refuse to
recognize its authority" are all Of Ulster,
and though there are many Unionists in
the rest Of Ireland the opposition is now
reduced 10 that one section Of the country
which is overwhelmingly in favor of re
tanning It's place in the union.
( II is well enough TO speak Of Mr.. Lloyd
Georges opposition TO a United Ireland,
but the most effective and incurable oppo-
stion is in Ireland itself
-