Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-16
BRITISH CABINET
OUTLOOK BETTER
Crisis on Irish Question
Believed Past After
Conference
LABOR BACKS HOME RULE

London, April 1G.
After an interview with Premier
Lloyd George. the Labor members Of the
Cabinet pressed the Premier TO grant
self-government to Ireland on the basis
Of the majority report Of the Irish con-
vention before Conscriptlon e. put into
operation. 1t is understood that the con-
ference had satisfactory results and
there will not be Cabinet crisis
London Times Public Ledger Scrrlce
Copyri0hi. 1918, Jy Pablic Ledger 60.
London, April 1G.-The Times parlia
mentary correspondent says:
1T is understood that the new home
rule bill is already in course Of rapid
preparation. The Government leaders
have had every reason I'm the last few
days TO realize the value Of promptness
OF decision, and the support they won for
the military service bill will be just as
strong behind the other II they show lin
Bonar Laws phra.se) that they think IL
right and mean to do IT,
Demand Insistent
."The essence OF the matter is 10 frame
a bill sound in principle and then carry
Il through TO determination Their
Responsibility for legislatiug at once is
beyond all question.
''The convention has given them all
the material they need or can ever hope
to get from ireland. and finally the de-
nrand for settlement is more ius!steut
than ever.
y"From their own point OF view the
Government leaders are right i'm an
nouncing the two measures are entirely
Independent ana will not stand or fall
together That. however. does not pre-
clude their close interdependence from
~ ,s3n T,ss.I i.
debate in the House of Commons was
technically concerned entirely with
clauses Of the military service bill: but
the constitutional question cropped mp
ut. every turn and the net result was
remarkable collection Of speeches
Constitutional Changes
'"Every one recognized the genuine
feeling Of Devlin's pcroratiou. IT en-
phatically was the utterauce Of q man
who realized the meaning of the war
More significant was the earnest appeal
by Mr. Asquith for home rule leCisla-
ton at once to follow the passing 81 the
military service bill. lie received strong
support from such Tuiouists as Colonel
Arnery and Sir Mark sykes. one COM
mon anxiety, as a subsequent CauyaSsiug
has shown was fear that the supreme
opportunity for a settlement Of the Irish
question SnOulu DC alOWeu 10 dIllL away.
"It wih be surprising II the attitude
OF the younger Unionists. who are less
hampered than their leaders. does not
become still more definite within tho
next few days.
1.-THE lines of the Forthcoming bill are
to.a large extent laid down ia advance
by the work Of the Irish convention. The
fact that some Of the most difficult deci-
sions we're postponed matters less, owing
to conditions inevitably imposed by the
war. Meanwhile there is a growing like
lihood of constitutional changes in the
Government. Great Britain, indeed the
whole empire, is giving n new aspect 20
some ancient controversies.
"'This prospect constantly appears in
the report OF. the convention's proceed
ings. II formed the theme Of a recent
speech by J. II. Thomas and it is inter-
esting that the Westminster Gazette,
urging like the Times, that there should
he no delay, should plead only one Scn-
eral condicion, that the bin should lie
made easily adjustable hereafter TO a
Federal system of government Tor the
whole United Kingdom