New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-13
Nationalist Motion Is Re-
jected by $50
to 1O8
Asquith and Dillon
Fight Consumption
Guns Already Are Being
Shipped From England,
Says Irish Leader

LONDON, April 12.-When the House
OF Commons, in committee of the
whole, this afternoon reached the
clause in the man-power bill extending
CONSUMPTION to Ireland, James c. R.
Lardner, Nationalist for North Mon
Afghan, moved that the bill should not
be enforced with regard to Ireland un-
til the passage of resolution by the
Irish Parliament approving it.
To-day" he said, County Clare is
an armed camp, ana what Clare is to-
morrow, if the government went on
with this proposal"
Eventually Mr. Lardner's motion was
rejected, 2SO to 10S.
Asquith Opposes Draft Clause
Mr.. Asouith again appealed to the
government to omit the clause on con-
scription. If these were normal times,
he said, he would not hesitate to take
appropriate Parliamentary action to
give effect to his opposition to the
clause, but it would "be criminal to
blind our eyes to the extent of the
peril at this moment"
1 could not be party to any pro
mate in normal conditions, which, if it
succeeded, must have the effect of pre-
vention on those who for the time
being are responsible to the nation and
to the Allies for extricating the great
est of causes from the greatest of
perils.
"When every moment of their time,
every faculty of their mind and every
fibre of their being needs to be devoted
to saving from disaster the Allies
cause, l cannot take that RESPONSE
bility."
Arthur Henderson, Labor leader,
warned the government that 1t was
displaying more reckless courage IMAM
wisdom in stalking its existence on the
clause applying CONSUMPTION to ireland.
Unless the government was prepared 10
modify it's proposal, it was creating
Situation which contained all the ele-
ments of the greatest disaster which
had befallen the country in the last
four years.
The governments present proposals,
he declared, would place Sim Felnlsm
in the ascendency in Ireland, as they
had placed Bolshevism in the ascend
encv in Russia. The minimum the
government could do was to say frank
" that it would not make the clause
operative until Home Rule absolutely
was the law in Ireland.
Mr.. Asquith suggested that mas
much as it would take some weeks
after the bill was passed to undertake
the preliminary work connected with
Consumption in Ireland, the interval
should be occupied in passing through
both Houses a bill based on the re-
port of the Irish convention. BY that
course the prolongation of the unhappy
controversy would be prevented.
John Dillon, Nationalist leader, yes
terday said he understood that motor
cars. machine guns and tanks already
had been shipped and were sailing
away from the battlefront toward Ire
land. Mr.. Dillon pleaded strongly
against what he termed the govern
ment's "guillotine methods. ,.,
The debate on the man-power Dill
centred largely around discussion OF
REQUESTS by Mr.. Dillon and others tor
more time in which to consider the
measure The government eventually
conceded to permit the House, con-
trary to custom, to sit on both FRIDAY
and Saturday so as to add two days 10
the time for the discussion. The bill
then entered committee, and an amend
mcnt substituting forty eight years tor
fifty-one Us the age limit was defeated
by vote of 1852 to 1852.
Henry Edward Duke, member from
Exeter and Chief Secretary tor Ire
land, described it as one of the bitter
est ironies that the government was
forced to make this conscriptlon pro-
posal at the moment the Irish conven-
ton reported and there was a situation
of unprecedented promise for lreland's
future. He said it was not merely tna1
the convention had arrived at conclu-
sions, but that the main characteristic
of the incident was agreement, and not
disagreement.
Governments First Duty
"There was a provisional agree
ment." he said, concerning the con-
stitution of a parliament for Ireland
with fairness for all classes. Never
before has there been such a promls-.
ing situation for the introduction of
self-government in Ireland, Their
came this tremendous responsibility on
the government in connection with the
war. They had. taken the decision: not
light nor in any spirit OF an
tagonism to Ireland but because it
was their memorable duty to decide
that Ireland should contribute her
share to the fighting force"
"a governments first duty he con
l1C~ IF no