The Washington herald., 1917-09-02
Future History of Ireland
Hangs on Act of Convention

stood pat on the old Home Rule plat
form. They say that If the conven-
tion produces an agreed plan which
does not. divide Ireland, Sim Fein
will again dwindle to handful of
extremists and the country will ac-
cept the settlement.
Opposition to Referendum.
"Why, then" 1 asked Joseph Dev-
lin. the Belfast Nationalist leader,
''do you oppose a referendum of the
people of Ireland, for or against the
proposed settlement put forward by
the convention"
ent an enormous reference library of
books and documents Is being gath
cred for the use of the delegates. They
include complete reports of the pro-
ceedings of the constitutional conven-
tions in America, Canada and Aus
tralia.
Many weeks must elapse before
all the books and documents need
ed can be brought together. Many
of them must be imported from
England. 1t is fact of tho utmost
significance that no attempt was
made to gather the material from
which to construct a new Ireland
until the convention had actually
met, unanimously elected Sir Hor-
ace PIunkett chairman, and dis
cussed the general situation. The
belief in most quarters that no
basis for an agreement could be
reached and that the convention
would break up at once was so
strong that 1t was not thought
worth while to take the trouble
and expense involved in transport
ing in advance thousands of
volumes to the Regents House of
Trinity College, where the conven-
tion is sitting.
As each suggestion is put for
ward. Sir Francis Hopwood be-
lieves, it will be examined in the
light of all the available evidence
on the point gathered from the eX-
perience of the United States and
the Dominions.
II events take the course sug-
gested. it is hoped by Nationalists
and Ulstermen alike that the need
for a referendum, by popular vote,
to the people of Ireland will not
arise. The objections on demo-
cratic grounds. both to the undemo-
cratic manner of choosing the con-
vention. and to the proposal to i'm
without a referendum. represent
the strongest arguments in the
Sin Fein arsenal against the pres
ent conference. The present situa-
tion cannot be understood without
an explanation of how and why
the convention was constituted in
its present form. and why a refer
rendum is regarded as impractical
BILE.
Because II is probable" he an
swered, that the extremists on both
sides would combine. from quite diff
ferent motives, and vote it down.
Some part of Sim Fein's present
strenth, how much we cannot tell,
would vote against any plan this
convention agreed upon, out of ha-
tired and suspicion of England and a
desire for independence. Ulster, TAX
ing advantage of this situation.
would vote against IL in the belief
that, by repudiating the convention.
home rule could be killed and the
old system perpetuated. In other
words, suppose we put forward a
plan agreed to by England provid-
ing for practical autonomy, Sim
Fein would oppose IL as too weak,
Ulster as too strong, and the combi-
nation of extremists might beat US
and throw Ireland into anarchy. Is
that democracy?
Mr.. Devlin's argument against a
referendum was indorsed by other
Nationalists and by those Ulster
leaders who appear sincerely to de-
sire a settlement.