Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-12
HOME RULE Is
NOT Wanted
BYIRISHNOW
Only Desire is to Defeat
Conscription-British
to Use Force?

Tondon. April 12--Promise Of a
lome rule bin by the government
Fss uor had the smallest effect in
ess.ng the way 10 Couscriptlon in
Ireland. The Union SIS viii rot sit
snd allow the bill 20 be Tusned
trrough and the NaJionalists are
more concerned IN the defeat OF
conscripti0n than in obtaining home
rnle In consequence the situation
as regards home rule at present is
that nobody wants it,
The Irish Times. which has
clamore5 for CUnscriptiOn, yester-
5av invited John Dillon To make a
bargain with the government, sug-
costing that in the six weeks before
the machinery for cOnsCriptiOn can
he in working order The National
ISIS raise seven divisions by vol
untary recruiting result which
il saws. should persuade the gov
erumenr TO Obstain from enforcing
conscriptiOn.
u. F. O'C0cnOr has resigned as
z protest against COnsCTiptiOu.
John Dillon. Irish Nationalist
leader in house Of commons. yester-
dav said he understood that motor
cars. machine guns and tanks al
ready had been shipped and we're
sailing away from the battlefront
toward Ireland. Mr. Dillon pleaded
strongly against what he termed
The governments "guillOtiue meth
ods"
The debate on the man-pOwer bill
centered largely around a decision
. Of requests by Mr.. Dillon and others
for more time in which to consider
the measure.
First in History.
The Irish convention laid the
foundation for an agreement on the
Irish question which is unprece-
dented in history, Sir Horace
Plunkett chairman Of the Conven-
ton says in a letter addressed to
Premier Lloyd George
The convention did not find it
possible TO overcome the objections
Of the Ulster unionists, says Sir
Horace. A majority Of the Na-
tionalists. all the southern Union
ISIS and five OF the seven Labor
representatives agreed upon a
scheme Of Irish lf-goYernment,
which is given in the conclusions
reached by the majority which, he
states, should be enacted into law.
We had every reason to believe
the government contemplated i'm
mediate legislation upon the re-
suits Of our labor" says Sir HOr-
Tr-fe- y
tlement admits Of no further post
pOnement In the dominions and
the United States as well as the al
lied countries. the unsettled Irish
question is a disturbing factor,
both as regards war effort and
peace aims"
Sir Horace added that the public
had been provided with no majority
report IL the sense of a reasoned
statement, but has been left to
gather from the narrative Of the
Proceedings what the contents of
such z report would be.
The issue Of minority reports by
the Ulster Tnionists and a minority
Of NatiOnalists have minimized the
agreement reached and emphasized
the disagreement.
Settle Representation.
The principle Of representation
log Ireland il the imperial parlia-
ment was insisted upon by the
southern Uniouists, says Sir HOr-
ace, and the NatiOnalists conceded
i Tie Irish members of the par
lament a London under this plan
S,,oald be elected by the irish par
lament.
II was agreed that Ireland should
Contribute to the cost Of the i'm
perlsl service. The irish parlia-
nent should consist Of two houses.
NauonalLsts guaranteeing that 40
per cent Of the lower house would
Dc composed of UnioHists.