Norwich bulletin., 1918-04-10
Lloyd Ge0rggStirs
 House Commons PR osEs HOME RULE AND CON. scRlPTloN FOR IRELAND
TO PROSECUTE WAR
Gives Warning That the Most Critical State of the War Is At Hand, With the Fate of Liberty At Stake.

London April 9.-David Lloyd Geo. 1 rge, the British prime minister. today made the boldest stroke of his career by coupling home rule for Ireland with the conscription of Irishmen. l This unexpected disclosure in an ad- dress by the premier in the house of commons in presenting the new con | aside all interest in the details of the l scription bill to parliament swept | conscrlption scheme which already mad been forecast by the newspapers.
 Ireland is the only subject talked or tonight. The only question asked Is now will the Irish parties and their British sympathisers take to the new policy.
 Government Wins Vote
 There was test of strength in the house of commons when Joseph Dey- m Nationalist, made a motion to ad- Journ. The government then moved ana carried closure on his motion after a brief debate by a vote of BIO to S5 ana MT. DeVl1nS motion was defeated by a vote of 323 to 80. A few paci- lists voted with the Nationalists.
 This preliminary vote means little.
 Everything depends on the nature of the, proposals for self-government for Ireland to be adopted as the premie
 sald without violent controversy ?
 The first impression was skepticism
 as to whether the war cabinet could
 frame a measure which would stand
 that test and the fear that the country might be plunged again into the old
 fury of the Irish quarrel while fight
 ing for its life against enemies out , slde It's walls. It was because of this
 fear that the Asquith government
 ShelVed the old home rule act and the Natlonallsts have blamed that sheIy- ing for the failure of more Irishmeu : i to enlist.
 Il MT. Lloyd George, however, is darine enough to attempt to balance both
 debts by granting home rule and en- , forcing 4eonscription ri The atmosphere in the house of con-
 mons did not foreshadow success From his first sentence on Ireland r the premier was aSsailed with Wha Q Reuters correspondent describes a. running hostile comment from tn, Irish benches.',' g Dillon Denounced conserption. The new Nationalist leader. JohI
 Dillon, who is more typical of tht
 4erX old-time Irish resisters than hi:
 courtly predecessor, the late Johr , iRedmond, denounced conscription fo Ireland heartily.g Nor were there an. [ signs of conciliation from the UlstA lfaction. The Irish Unionists met m
 der the chairmanship Of Sir Edwart S Carson and resolved to support con q scription, but they were merely en : dorsing what has been one of tn n blanks in their platform
 S It is felt generally that there is U greater and stronger force in tn - country than any operating in tn S house of commons. That Is publi Q opinion which apparently demand e that Irish questions shall not stan S in the way of winning the war. VI MT. Lloyd Georges speech reveale It that the Irish convention had nc
 reached any agreement and that tn 0 constructive work must be done b n the cabinet guided somewhat by Iris r. opinion as revealed in the debates ( o the convention.
 l. The most important statement e the premier's speech apart from Ire le land was that General F'och had bee
 appointed supreme director of tE
 strategy of the allied armies on tf
 western front, which is taken to mea [, that he had superseded the Versatile D. War Council
 Premier Lloyd George said:
 Most Critical Phase of the War.
 We have now entered the mo of critical phase of this terrible wal O. There is a lull in the storm, but tf a- hurricane is not over
 ed The fate of the empire the ia ,n Of Europe and the fate of liber7 ay throughout the world may depend as the success with which the very la III of these attacks is resisted and coun in cred
 The government, therefore, propo ct to submit to parliament today certa CT recommendations in order to assi st this country and the allies to we; on ther the storm. They will involve,
 regret. extreme sacrifices on the pa
 of large classes of the popuIatio
 Since the battle began the governme
 have been engaged almost every ho IA in concerting with the allies the ne
 ceSSarys measures to assist the arni is to deal with the emergency.
 "The proposals which we inter
 submitting to parliament required ve n- close and careful examination, and n- think there is this advantage in 0 op meeting today, rather than immedi of tely after the impact of the Germ; cd attack that we shall be consideril nd these proposals under conditions whi s. will be far removed from any su ,n. Eestion of panic
 r. Greatest Battle Ever Fought. ief q shall now come to the circur
 stances which have led to the prese
 military position. There has been
 great battle on a front of fifty miles
 the greatest battle ever fought in t ID history of the world. Enormous for
 es have been engaged; there was mt considerable retirement on the part =. the British forces and under the conditions it is not always easy i some time to ascertain what actua ,et happened.
 oI "The house will recollect the difficl t., ty we experienced with regard ,rs Cambrai. It was difficult to piece { ad gether the story of the event for sol ,,,t time and Cambrai was a very triv i. event compared with this gigan ,o battle.
 P. Three Facts Which Stand Out. 'e- However, there are two or thr
 facts which stand out, and. in stati
 them, I should like to call attenti v to two things, which I think abo
 all must be avoided.
 IT The first is that nothing should
 said which could give information tes the enemy; nothing should be .ss
 which would give encouragement
 the enemy; and, nothing should be ss nd which would give Encouragement to- our own troops. who are fighting ,ed gallantly at this very hour ng And the second question is tl 1ts all recrimination at this hour m lth he shut out. Ill. What was the position at the l in ginning of the battle? Notwithstar
 ing. the heavy casualties in 1917,