New-York tribune., 1919-12-29
Premier Declares Conbina-
ii0n of Ulster and South
Would Promote Disunion
and Invite Bloodshed
Time Required for Plan
Council of Twenty Ia Held
To Be Best Vehicle for
Ultimate Cancellation


Lloyd George, in presenting to parla
ment yesterday the proposed dual
legislative system for granting self
government to Ireland, declared that
to force union OF Ulster and southern
Ireland would "promote disunion" ard
might result in "hloodshed.'
The governmental scheme announced
by the Premier contemplates the crea-
ton Of two Legislative bodies With 6
council of twenty to serve as link
visions would elect members 20 the
British Parliament until the time
should be ripe for voluntary formation
Of an irish Parliament.
Liberal extracts from ths Prcmier's
speech were cabied 10 America. The
full text Of the address gives a COM
prehensive idea Of the position Of the
government in the new attempt to
compose the differences between The
Irish factions and to reach & sat;sfac-
tory solution Of the Irish problem.
Advantages Of Iaion Conceded
There may be advantages in unioA,"
Mr. Lloyd George sand in discussing
The stand Of those accused Of wishing
to coerce TIE Ulsterites. al 30 not
deuy that Geographically the condl-
tons are such as to make it desirable
There is an advantage in nins.ing races
and religions so as to contribute u
variety of ideas 20 as TO have a dill
Terent outlook. And there is undoubt-
edly an advantage in having industry
and agriculture working side by side
il the same parliament But that is
matter for these populations them
selves Lord Durham attempted to
force Quebec and Ontario, lower ana
upper Canada, into +hc same psrlia-
ment. Thai plan had to he Abandoned
Separate parliemerts had 10 be given
Il en-, and 1t was OILY inter tNat was
done thet federation became poss' e."
The Premier said the Irish question
vas difficult because "threc. quarters of
the population of I,'e ana a1e not mere
ly governed without their consent. but
manifest the b'tterest hostility to the
government.
81 remember" he continued, "when
proved social and economic conditic MS,
lf you got rid of the ag,arlan trouble,
improved housing. created peasant pro
rrietorship and built railways, con-
stticted aibors and md everything
possible to make IRELAND as prosperous
as conditions would allow, all this OBJ
lecticn to British rule would vanish.
What has happened? Ireland never
mas been SO prosperous @s she is %
Day. III" vast ma Gritty OF the cultiva-
-Qss ,f IRE are possessors of heir
own soil. Houses and comfortable cot
tages for the workingn.on have been
built at he expense of the British tax
mayer Men who Travelled through Ire
land g generation age and revisited the
country would not k..ow it to-day. l.
is completely Transferred.
Offering Elements discussed
Declaring II % be "fonoamentai
fact" despite tsosc conditions tfat
ireland has never been 81 ai.ena.ed
from Pritish rule as It is today" Mr..
Lloyd George said there was another
fact just as Fundamental that "..'ou
have cons iderabln section of ;he peo-
pie OF Ireland who are Just as opposed
e Irish rule IS tho majority OF Irish
men are to RritiHh rule. Both thosa
facts mu t Hc taken into account. IN.
'.o northeast Of ireland you have a
population, q fairly solid population,
alien III race, sympathy, religion, tra
dition, outlook. from he rest Of the
population of ireland, ard it would be
IN outrage on the principle Of self
rule OF the remainder OF the popule-
ton. IN the mort aepst of Ircl~ad. il
thai were done, it wou,d inevitably
allcrat, the best elements from the
machinery OF law and order. ] don
sAy it would 9rodacc the same results.
but it would rccrcate exactly the sams
conditions which you arc trying 70
rer>cdy in the South and West"
Mr.. lloyd George sad the failure OF
.hc self governmcn. act # 1914 to deal
with "the peculiar position of Ulster"
was largely the reason for the decision
of the government &c make changes j.
position that 70 force union of ireland
upon Ulster would be uniustifable The
PtemieY read letter from Father
O'Flanagan, an Iiigc Catholic priest
said to be former vice pre- siaert Of
the Sim Fein party, and quoted from
the words Of Father MackDonald, =
professor Of theology in Meynooth Gel
lege.
Irish Views Gnoted
Father OFlanaran vas saprescntod as
having asked III 5N}6: IF -re reject
h me rule rather than agree to the ex-
clusion Of the Union.st part 81 Ulster,
What case nave we TO put before the
world? ?" and also to have declared I'VE
are anxious to start where england
left eff ard to compel Antrim and Down
to love US by force"
Mr.. lloyd George read from q speech
of Father Macdonald, in which the lat
ter was said to have remarked "Wore
ireland made republic fully, inde-
pendent Of Great Britain it seems to
me that she would be bound to allow
Home Rule for the northeast corner on
the principle underlying your claim for
Home Rule in the United Kingdom.
which regard as we'll founded"
These two quotations state the case
in favor of the treatment Of Ulster"
declared Premier lloyd George. IF
they ithe Irish fac .ons> mite thev
must do SO on Their own accord"
Affirming MS uaalterable opposition
to any sepaIeH-n OF lrelxnd from
Great Britain. the Premier said "any
arrangement by which Ireland could be
severed from the United Kingdom.
either nominally or in substance or eff
feet. would be fatal to the interests of
both
Perils of independence Shown
"You have only 20 lool. at what han
pened in the late war to realize what
would have happened if ireland had
been separate unit the speaker de-
ciared. "A hostile republic or even sn
unfrisndly one might very well have
been fatal to the cause of the Allies.
The area of submarine activity might
have extended beyond The limits Of con-