Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-12
NO DELAY ON IRISH
QUESTION N-PLUNKET1
A Disturbing Factor. Affecting War
Efforts and Peace Terms. He
Writes Premier George,
Rv Associated Press TO Every Evening

y
London. April I2-1'he Irish convcn
tion laid the foundation for an agreement
an the Irish question which Is unprecc-
ccnted in history. Sir Horace Plunkett,
chairman of the convention, says in a
letter accompanying the report ot that
body.
I'VE had every reason to believe
the government CONTEMPLATED immediate
leeislation upon the results OF our labor,
s9y., Sir Horace The work of an Irish
,eftlrmcnt. II is now felt, admits OF no
fllrfher postponcment In the dominlons
nd the 'nted States aS we'll rs the Allied
Countries. the unsettled Irish question
X II disturbing factor both as regards war
effort and peace aims.
.Nter every possibility of an agreement
had been explored, Sir Horace writes,
he was instructed 10 draft "A report which
would be n narrative of the convention
proceedings. with a statement Tor the
Governments information ot the con-
customs adopted unanimously or ny
naioritv This draft of the report was
.,i1pted by - majority
$ir Horace adds that the pubhC had
h,.u provided with no majority report
m ;hc sense of a reasoned statement III
iavar of conclusions upon which the ma
Ieritv agreed but has been lett To gather
from the narrative OF the proceedings
what the contents of such report would
have been The issue Of minority re-
ports bv the l~tcr I'monists and mi
norltv Of \ationaistS has mnml1ed
the agreement reached and emphasized
thc disagreement
The convention did MOI find il possible
overcome the objections oi the lister
I+uiouiSfS. saws sir Horace. \ majority
ss The Natlnnalist~. ali the southern
.s,unI~tS and five at the seven Labor
...-,scntatives agreed upon = scheme OF
Hash sclf-sovernmcnt which Is gwen IN
The .oncluSiouS reached which, by ma
jorItv. ~, states. should be enacted into
law
In his letter. which Is addressed to
Premier Ilovd George, the chairman says
rh, customs question became ono ot the
14tlt points and that upon a decision
regarding II depended the extent oi an
agreement winch could ht reached The
geographical position Of ireland imposed
rest rictIon~ regarding naval and military
affairs and the claim Tor home rule was
concentrated on the demand tor unrcstrct-
cd t'scal powers
The NationallSt> made a strong case tor
such fiscal powers. and were abiC 20 prove
that considerable number ot the leading
ronmercIal men had come 10 favor fiscal
autonomy
\majoritv of tho NatlonahStS and of tho
southern noniStS agreed. that in order
that a parliament might hc established ~
once. IL postpone the decision ~ regard
to control al the customs The National
ISIS were prepared 10 agree 70 tree trade
with England but the southern | nonlStS
joincd the Ulster J'monists in opposing
4 separate system OF customs control.
Is cot ut
land in the British Parliament was insisted
on BY the southern UnIoniStS, and Slr
Horace, and the NationalistS conceded i
The Irish members Of the Parliament n
London under this plan would be elected
bv the Irish people.
1t was agreed ireland should contribute
TO the cost of the imperial service The
Irish parliament, II was declared. should
consist Of two houses the NatlonalisfS
guaranteeing forty per cent Of tho lower
house would be composed OF nionlStS
y majority Of the convention adopted
a series of resolutions forming a complete
plan of government under which the irish
Parliament would have full powers over
all internal legislation Pending decision
concerning the customs question, the
imposition Of duties and excise wouFd re-
main with the Imperial Parliament but
the entire proceeds oi these taxes would
be paid INTO the Irish cxchcquer,
The difficulties of the convention, oIr
Horace remarked. may bc summed up III
two words Ulster and tho Gust oms.
The Ulster [ monlst delegates renamed
IN the convention only In the hope that
some form oi home rlic would hc pro
posed which might notify the detennlns
IIon OF those whom they represented q
have neither lot nor part in an Irish parlIs-
rlent. THE NationalIsts .stTove 10 VIII
them bv concessions but they wert
unable 10 accept any scheme discussed
and the only plan they presented was
confined To the exclusion Of their province
Lord Middletown brought forward {
suggestion which looked like q workable
idea He accepted self-government- In
r,,tuVn for the special minority representa-
ton IN the Irish parliament which has
been conceded bv the Nationallsts Il
offered to that parliament complete
power over internal legislation and tht
administration of direct taxation anC
excise but insisted upon permanent
rs rvation to the Imperial parliament
oI thc power TO fix customs duties