The Irish standard., 1917-09-15
EXCELLENT Letter
OF MRS. SINCLAIR

OF MRS. SINCLAIR
Ulster Unionist Comes Out Boldly
Against Partition Of ireland.
Defense Of Great Britain Requires
Unity of Ulster with Other Provinces.
A Strong, Manly and Epoch-Making
Pronouncement Of Convincing Force.
The Convention has met, and every
Irishman who puts Ireland first will
pray that its issue may be fruitful and
fortunate. I have heard it suggested
in several quarters that the official
Ulster Unionist delegates are entering
the Convention pledged not to discover
the best solution for evils that affect
Ulster as gravely as any part of Ire
land, but at all hazards to maintain
the status quo ante, even if the cost
of maintaining it is that the end of
the war will bring Ireland not peace,
but more devastating sword.
If there is any truth in this sugges-
tion-and l cannot believe there is
such policy, if adopted, will run
counter to the views of thousands of
porters of the Unionist Party.
write on my own authority, but
speak for class which, though it may
not be politically organized, feels that
it's voice should not be ignored at this,
the critical turning-point in Irish his
tory.
My antecedents have been Unionist.
trim my native town-Lisburn-i a
famous stronghold of Unionism and
Professionalism, and that have been a
member of it's Urban Council since
was 10 years of age and have served
as it's Chairman goes to show that l
have some claim to speak as an Ulster
Unionist. Further, my business brings
Province, and everywhere find grow
ing desire to end the wretched quarrel
of the past and face the fact that a
new situation has arisen which calls
for a new policy.
Breadth Of Vision Demanded.
An era of social revolution has come,
and even insular Britain pulsates to-
the strictest of Press Censorships can
not prevent the evidences of that fer
mentation.
Ulster cannot afford to ignore
this ieavening Of our social in
situations; therefore say the
great need of the hour is breadth
of vision and the will to make all
things subservient to the nations
progress.
The great clarifying influence of a
world-war has done more to bring
about social revolution in Ireland than
the combined and multiplied effects
of Sir Edward Carson's crusade and
the passing of the Home Rule Act
could have attained.
An uplifting force, such as the war
has already proved, compels each
thinking man, and more especially
every thinking Unionist, not so much
to readjust as to remodel his opinions,
impassionately let us consider the rea-
soning.
The Land Acts gave the Irish farmer
tixity of tenure In the land, but not the
means of making a profitable living
from it. What years of legislative con-
struction failed to do the submarine
menace accomplished, and here we
have the Corn Production Bill-the
passage of it now assured measure
which puts Irish agriculture upon a
permanently paying basis. am aware
that farmers, instead of working
largely on overdrafts, are beginning to
accumulate bank balances-and here
appears to me the index finger of the
futures handwriting-this money, in
stead of being drained out Of the coun-
try as in the days when the absentee
landlords owned" the soil, will be
used to increase production and de-
velop industry at home.
Ulster and Catholic Belgium.
Whatever England's policy may have
been in other generations, her interest
now lies in the creation Of q contented
and prosperous Ireland, otherwise she
has no guarantee of adequate food sup
plies in time of war. Again, II Ire.
lands poverty was not her only dis
ease in the past it lay at the root of
most of the evils which she suffered,
and with the elimination Of that re.
tarding factor her difficulties are large
ly removed.
In Ulster, Home Rule has always
been represented as a struggle be-
tween the "haves' and the "have-
nots," then IL the Nationalists also be-
come "haves" q new situation arises.
shall be told, Of course, that II econ
omic arguments no longer apply reli-
gious arguments still hold good-as
cry that lost most Of its force when
the Orangemen and Professionals OF the
Ulster Volunteers sprang to arms that
Catholic Belgium might be rescued
from Protestant Germany. If Roman
hot