The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-07-21
Irish Independent Char
ges nationa|ists Will
Attempt Partition.

When Lloyd George announced
Convention of Irishmen of all classes
and creeds, as an alternative plan to
his partition proposals, to frame con-
stitution for Ireland he said there were
great possibilities in such an assembly,
provided it was properly constituted;
that it was not made too unwieldy,
and that the political parties were al
most wholly eliminated. We accepted
Partition. Any scheme to mutilate our
country is still as abhorrent to us as
it was twelve months ago and no
matter how such a proposal is masked
we shall continue to offer it our siren
uous opposition. In view of certain
happenings, open and secret, it is
necessary to speak plainly, and to ask
the country to be on it's guard. From
week to week Nationalist opinion is
pretty accurately reflected by the pro-
vincial press, and, as rule, it re-
CARDS the convention with distrust and
suspicion. Beyond all doubt, there IL
a growing dissatisfaction, not ITO say
distrust, concerning the convention;
and when one examines it's constitu-
tion, together with other circum-
stances connected with it, a strong sus-
picion arises that it is intended to ef-
feet the partition scheme, which, with
the aid of the Nationalist leaders,
Mr.. Lloyd George unsuccessfully at
tempted to carry last year, and which
was only defeated by the dismember-
ment of their native land.
The game would be to carry as
many as possible of the county coun-
Gil and other delegates with them and
having in that way secured what they
would claim to be substantial ma
jority to oblige the Independent Ma
tional delegates, if any, and Southern
Unionists to fall into the trap laid
for them or else to put the onus on
them if effect could not be given to
partition, of upsetting the\convention.
No wonder there are symptoms of dis
satisfaction and distrust even among
some members of the party at the Sc:
lection made, and that evoked some
protests at the party meeting. We can
hardly rely on these gentlemen, con-
sidering their recent records, to up
hold the claims of Home Rulers to
full self-government for an undivided
ireland.
Country Has Changed in Five Years.
The party delegates can count on
most of the chairmen of the county
councils and the representatives of the
urban councils, who have been thick
and thin supporters of the party. AL
together these bodies will nominate
forty-one delegates. The last trien-
nial elections of county councillors
took place in 1912, when the party's
fortunes were at high water mark, as
the people, who had then given little
thought or study to the Home Rule
Bill just introduced, we're easily per-
suaded that it was the greatest char
ter of liberty ever offered to any coun-
try. The country has changed great
deal in five years; people have come
to realize the truth and to see that
the act upon the statute book is but
a miserable makeshift; but the coun-
ellis have remained as they were,
bound to the party. If elections had
taken place any time within the past
year or two and the issue was full
self-government for all Ireland against
half Home Rule and partition, very
few standing on the latter ticket would
be returned, but those returned five
years ago on that very same ticket
are now to represent Ireland at the
convention. Needless to say, we make
no aspersions on any of the chair
men of the county councils as local
administrators, but when they are
brought in to frame constitution for
Ireland many of them are in the same
boat as the leaders they have sup
ported, and may be Influenced to act
as these leaders suggest.
A Fact Of III Omen.
Mr. Bonar Laws statement, not yet
withdrawn, is another fact of i'll omen,