New-York tribune., 1917-07-25
H. A. Law Hopes for Happy
Solution by Irish Convention
Than Exact Delimitation Of Governmental Powers
Sees Three Possible Solutions
By HUGH A. LAW, M. P.

whole United Kingdom. Broadly
speaking, the powers enjoyed by the
Irish government under such scheme
would be in all important respects
identical with those granted to II by
the existing act. 1t would be difficult
for the Ulster Unionists to resist
scheme which was applicable to all
parts of the United Kingdom, or to
maintain, in these circumstances, any
demand for exclusion from the area
of Irish state administration. The
chief demerit of the proposal in Ma
tionalist eyes is that it postpones sat
isfaction of the Irish claim until the
other countries choose to remodel their
constitutional arrangements. And,
since an early settlement is urgently
needed, this objection may well prove
fatal.
The last of the three schemes re-
ferred to is the grant to Ireland of
what is known as colonial self-govern-
ment, that is to say, the liberties en-
joyed by Canada, New Zealand. Aus
tralia and South Africa. In this case
the Irish parliament and executive
would obtain control not only of all
purely domestic affairs, but also OF
such semi-imperial matters as the di-
rection of fiscal policy (including taxa
tom and the raising and maintaining
/ of armed forces.
II goes without saying that colonial
Home Rule would completely satisfy
the vast majority Of Nationalists. On
the other hand, no one-a few Sim
Fein dreamers alone excepted-wlshes
to raise separate Irish army and
navy.
Irish Pride Is Big Factor
But the essential thing is not the
exact delimitation of powers, but the
satisfaction of Irish national pride.
Perhaps one Irishman in a thousand
knows or cares anything about the
! details of constitutional law and pro-
, cedure. The remaining 999 simply feel
| that their Mother Ireland has been
wronged, and passionately desire to
see her righted and acknowledged as
a free nation before all the world. Un-
fortunately, it is just this instinct OF
legitimate pride which is hurt by the
lister Unionist demand for the exclu-
sion of six northern counties from any
scheme of Irish government.
Even the temporary partition of Ire
land, reluctantly agreed to last year
by the Irish members in the hope or
an immediate if imperfect settlement,
is now out of the question. There
must be a Home Rule government for
all Ireland or for none. 1
And if northeast Ulster maintains its
refusal to have anything to do, on no
matter how favorable terms, with any
parliament sitting in Dublin, it is not
easy to see how any progress can be
made.
However, whatever the extremists in
either camp may say or do, will not
for my part despair of happy issue.
Joseph Devlin once defined the obsta-
cles to Home Rule as two-English
stupidity and Irish folly. English stu
pidity, deaf TO all reasonings during
peace, has begun to listen to the stern
arguments of war; and Of late all Brit
ish opposition (outside of some small
reactionary cliques in London society
has disappeared.
Irish folly, alas! has proved less
teachable and the ranks of the ex-
tremists are swollen for the time be-
ing by thousands of people, who, for
one reason or another, have their spe-
cial grievances against the British gov
ernment or the Irish parliamentary
party or both, and have wandered away
from constitutional paths.
There is no blinking the fact that
the success of the Ulster volunteer
movement, under the high patronage
accorded to it in Great Britain, and
perhaps also the mental reactions Of
war time, have given new life to the
dying propaganda Of the physical force
party; whilst the threat of partition
which still hangs over the country has
maddened many who are normally rea-
sonable and temperate. II only this
threat were removed, and if the people
could be convinced that the British
government was prepared to act fairly
as among all sections of the Irish
people, saner counsels would once more
prevail.
Stability Is First Need
In face of the peril Of anarchy which
menaces the country sensible men OF
all kinds are desiring more and more
ardently the establishment Of stable
government. And while Nationalists
are realizing that government to be
good must be firm, Unionists are real
izing also that to be firm it must be
! free. To rally popular feeling TO the
side of the rulers of the country is the
! first task Of the convention. When
| that has been done-when in Ireland
| for the first time in the history of
! that country we have established gov
| ernment Of the people, by the people.
I for the people-the second task VIII
also have been accomplished-the per-
manent reconciliation of the democra-
! cies of Great Britain and Ireland.