Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-10
CONSUMPTION FOR
IRELAND PROPOSED
CONTINUED From Page IL

nor did anyone else in this house for
the vote was never taken. I. never
challenge the Justice of the war and
mier is going too far when he says
that and most certainly I did vote for
the war. I hold very strong opinions
about. the origin of the war;"
II am satisfied with the statements
made by my honorable f4end," con-
tinued Premier Lloyd. George. HE
supported the justice of the war. If
he believed it was an unjust war he
never would have voted for it..
ask young men Of eighteen years and
married men%sof thirty-five and forty
with families, and evensup TO- fifty, in
England, Scotland and Wales, and
that you should compel them to fight
for the freedom and Independence of
a small Catholic nationality in Europe,
while the young mem Of twenty to
twenty-five in ireland are under no
obligation to take up arms for a
cause which is just as much theirs
as ours. 1t Is o merely illogical; 1t
la unjust.
There is such a thing as justice for
Scotland, England and Wales and
the emergency which Mr.. Redmond
contemplated and which I still re-
specially suggest. the member for
Mayo. also contemplated. That we
should not win this war without taxi
ing this measure, has arisen, Presi-
dent Wilson's dramatic decision in the
last few days is>the best proof and
there Is a special emergency with re-
gard to Ireland"
The Irish question has been a thorn
in the flesh for the United Kingdom
virtually ever since the kingdom itself
was created by the act of union in
1901. The active campaign for Irish
home rule. however. really dates from
1885, when fathered by Charles Stu
art. the Irish leader. it vas adopted
by Gladstone, who after being return
the country that he purposed dealing
"in a liberal, spirit with the question.
caused the first home> rule bill to be
introduced in the house of commons
in April. 1885. ~,
Question Big Issue.
The question thereafter was one Of
the leading issues in British politics
up to the outbreak of the great war,
and during the progresA of that con
flict the fact that itNwas still unsettled
has seriously handicapped Great
Britain in her war efforts. The
ancient conflict between Protestant
Ol6ICI dNO Liz 4dI6Cky S0lAAOllC Io-
mainder Of Ireland constantly operat-
ed to prevent an amicable adjustment
by agreement among 1rishmen them
selves. and this feeling found its res
flex in Great Britain, where the ultra
conservative forces. supporting the
north of Ireland position, were long
able to block even an attempt al an
application Of the home rule principle
through a government-framed meas
ure.
After more than rs years Of effort
however, the obstacle created by, the
opposition of the house Of lords was
finally overcome. a home rule bill
was passed and the question OF its
Operation came to the 'front.' This
created a crisis in the relations be-
tween the Ulster Unionists and the
remaining population Of the island
which reached its climax in the
the firsts blasts Of the war were
about I sweep over Europe. Ulster,
with Sir Edward Carson ais leader,
declared she would never consent to
recognize a home rule parliament,
and her people demonstrated that
they were prephred. to resist by arms
any attempt to force home rule upon
them. "
Passed !by House.
In an attempt TO deal with this sit
uation an amending act was passed
BY the house of lords. under which
such Of the Ulster counties as should
SO express themselves by ballot were
to be excluded for six years from the
provisions Of the act. The war began
before the amending act had been
introduced in the house Of commons.
however. and in September an act
the operation OF the bill
to q date. not later than the termina-
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