The sun., 1919-07-24
TWO LEGISLATURES
PROPOSED FOR ERIN
Division of Country Into a
a North and South Pro-
vince Advocated.
ULSTER AS ONE STATE
London "Times" Makes Sug-
gestions for Settlement Of
Big Problems.
ULSTER AS ONE STATE
Special Gable Despatch to THE Sun from tie
London Times Serrice.

more courage than the British Govern
ment, dares to propose a specific and
immediate solution Of the Irish problem.
Its suggestions follow:
There should be created in ireland
two provincial or state legislatures set
up by an act in substitution for the
home rule act. One legislature should
be for the three southern provinces, the
other for Ulster. The retention of the
whole province of Ulster as unit would
give greater stability than II Ulster were
reduced to six or four counties with an
overwhelming Unionist majority.
Arrangement of the constituencies
under the act would insure a Unionist
majority in the Province, while the ex-
istence of a powerful Nationalist minor
ity in the whole Province would give
protection against disregard for minority
rights and interests.
Similar considerations do not apply
with the same force to the three other
Provinces which II is proposed to group
under one legislature.
The variance of their interests is not
sufficient to Justify the additional COM
plication of the machinery of govern
ment that would be entailed by the crea-
ton of separate legislatures for Mum
ster. Lanster and Sonnaught Never
theless. were II thought expedient to set
UP either two or three southern legis-
latures such subdivisions would not be
wholly inconsistent with the main pro-
visions of the plan.
Powers to the Legtsla lures.
Upon the two state legislatures should
be bestowed full powers of legislation In
all matters affecting international at
fairs While &c OhN,iota that in
powers, such as control of posts and
telegraphs customs or railways. could
not be decentralized. the provincial leg
islatures might have the power to legis-
late in regard to such matters as agri-
culture, fisheries, technical instruction,
municipal interests and local govern
ment, local works and undertakings.
licensing hospitals, charitable institu-
tons. direct taxation for provincial pur-
poses, control Of provincial revenue, Dor
rowing on the sole credit OF the province.
factory legislation and private bill legis-
lation in matters affecting the state con-
cerned.
To these state legislatures might also
be entrusted the administration OF such
proportion Of the grant for develop
ment and reconstruction as might be
properly applicable to the provincial
needs is distinct from those OF Ireland
as whole.
In each state, moreover, there would
be a constituted state executivs re-
sponsible to the state legislatures. This
executive would be charged with the
administration of all state or provincial
services.
The creation OF State Legislatures and
executives would be the first stage In
the bestowal of self-government upon
Ireland They would furnish the basis
of Government upon lines parallel 10
those of the possible decentralization OF
Government in the United Kingdom
under the scheme OF general federaliza-
ton, but they are not conceived az be-
ing contingent upon such a measure, nor
are they to be regarded as meeting the
full claims OF the reasonable nationalists.
There are powers OF the Central Gov
eminent which the great majority Of
Irishmen desire to control. and these
powers should not be withheld II and
when conditions in Ireland permit of
their exercise by an Irish parliament.
Therefore 1t should be made possible for
Irishmen to obtain these wider powers
as soon as they are in a position to
employ them, and the act constituting
the State Legislatures should contain
provisions to this end.
For an All Ireland Parliament.
Such provisions can consist only in
and for the establishment OF an all
Ireland Parliament. The basis of such
a Parliament should be that each OF the
two States would have equal representa-
ton. This principal of equality is recoe-
nized in the Constitutions OF Australia
and South Africa
The Parliament might perhaps con-
sist of delegations from the two State
Legislatures so elected as to secure
exact reflection OF the parties and in
terest in those Legislatures. Thus for
example the Ulster delegation would
consist of Unionists and Nationalist IN
the same proportion as they would exist
in the Ulster Legislature.
The Irish parliament might we'll sit
alternately at Dublin and Belfast The
object in its formation Is to create a
body that could eventually discharge the
functions of the central authority in the
Irish federation.
The right of the British Parliament
TO legislate for all portions Of the Brit
ISL dominions is in principle beyond the
question, and this principle should be
specifically recognized in the act
Broadly stated, the powers to be re-
tanned by the United Kingdom Parlia-
ment are the crown and the succession
to II, peace. war, navy, army, air
force and for the present the right OF
raising territorial forces, treaties and
treaties, dignities and titles OF honor
treason. felony, aliens and naturaliza-
ton, quarantine and navigation, coinage
legal tender, trade marks. copyright and
patent rights. lighthouses. buoys and
beacons.
The powers transferable to the Irish
Parliament might again broadly be the
impohition and collection of all direct
taxation. borrowing on the credit of
Ireland as distinguished from the
credit OF the provinces. fixing and collec-
ton Of customs and excise duties. nego-
tiation and conclusion of commercial
treaties (subJect perhaps to a free trade
treaty with Great Britain and to pro-
vision against the dumping of British
goods in Ireland, land purchase. estate
commissioners. labor exchanges. ma
tional insurance. old age pensions, posts.
telegraphs, telephones. postal savings
banks, trustee) savings banks, ways and
communications in connection with the
bill now before Parliament and educa-
ton.
Educatio mis- perhaps the most con-
tentious question OF the day in Ireland
It's ultimate solution could best be left
to Ifishmen after they have begun to
see the probable development of their
country under the new system. but in
the act OF settlement. and on the anal
ogy of the home rule act. legislation
calculated to endanger religious liberty
might be withheld from the sphere OF
competency either of the State Legis-
features or Of the Irish Parliament