New-York tribune., 1917-07-25

Lonuon, July E4.-l o-morroW ma
tional convention, drawn from every
class in the community, is to meet in
Dublin. Eminent and representative
lrishmen," to quote the words used the
other day by Lloyd George, from
all parts of Ireland, will come together
in spirit of concilistfon and good will,
determined to do all they can to Sc
cure a settlement of the old discords
which have afflicted their country"
Were it not for the overwhelming
preoccupations of worldwide war
such an event would surely both merit
and receive passionate interest wher-
ever men care for liberty, democratic
progress and international peace. For
one need hardly remind Americans that
the Importance of the Irish question
far transcends that of any merely do
mestic controversy. Even in ordinary
times it troubles the political life of
far off dominions of the crown, and
has for a generation proved the chief
impedlment in the way of an Anglo
American entente. That entente now,
indeed, exists for the purposes of the
war. Whether the closer union thus
effected between the two great Eng
lish-speaking peoples is to become a
permanent factor in world politics de-
pends perhaps upon the issue of the
Dublin convention.
If rumor speaks truly, it was from
the United States that there came the
impulse which determined the British
government to make another serious
effort at reconciliation with Ireland.
The sympathies of vast numbers Of
Americans, Including millions who have
TO trace of Irish origin, were long ago
acquired for the cause of Home Rule.
But, as long as the controversy was
at least primarily regarded as a ques-
tion of British internal politics, these
sympathies could only find discreet in
dividual expression. Now it is other
wise. All the Allies alike are pledged
to fight for the principle of national
liberty and for the free development
of peoples, great and small. All alike
are, therefore, concerned to see that
no blot remains anywhere on the Allied
escutcheon.
Task Before Convention
What, then, may the convention do ?
II will be free, according to Lloyd
Georges statement, to discuss and to
recommend all conceivable solutions Of
the problem, save one. Ireland, what
ever happens, must remain within the
British Empire. Naturally, certain Irish
extremists object to this condition, and.
repudiating the convention, propose to
appeal for representation at the peace
conference.
There is no denying the fact that the
Sim Fein programme makes strong
appeal to numbers of young men who
have little knowledge of the world ou:-
side their own parishes, but the great
body of the Irish people is far too seu-
sible not to realize that an independent
Ireland is an impossibility. England
can never consent to allow a separate
and, ex hypothesi, hostile state to be
established at her doors. Even II sne
and her allies were to suffer defeat IN
this war, as some at least of the Sim
Feiners seem to expect and to wish, u
is perfectly clear than no sooner would
her hands be freed by peace than shs
must Immediately begin the reconquest
Of Ireland.
Moreover, there are too many ties OF
interest and even Of affection between
the two islands to render their separl-
tion even desirable in the eyes of the
great majority of Irish Nationalists.
If only the convention can agree upon
any practicable scheme of Irish self
government within the empire have
no fear that even yet thousands %
those who are at the moment attracted
by Sim Fein rhetoric will return TO
their former position as supporters OF
a constitutional policy.
Putting aside, then, this one irpos-
sible project Of separation, the choice
OF policies before the convention would
seem to lie under one of three heads.
In the first place, the Home Rule act,
which has been on the statute book
ever since the autumn Of 1914, might
be put into force, with or without modi-
fcation. This would in many respects
be the easiest course; but we have 10
reckon, on the one hand, with the COW
enant to resist its application to Ulster,
and, on the other, with the passionate
determination of Nationalist Ireland to
prevent any partition Of the country.
Federal Plan
Secondly, the convention might rec
ommend the federal plan-that is to
say, the creation of state legislatures
in England, Wales and Scotland, as
well as in ireland, with a sovereign
federal assembly representative of the