Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-12-30
NEW HOME RULE
BILL PLA|NED
ireland Plan Is Outlined by Pre-
mier Lloyd George.
HOPES FOR FAIR SCHEME
Declares No Plan Is Acceptable to
Irish, and Warns Ireland of War
If Erin Secedes-Refers to
Dublin Outrage.

London, Dec 23.-Premier Lloyd
George addressed the house of COM
mons on the Irish question The pre-
mier last week announced his purpose
of presenting to the commons on this
occasion the details of the govern
ment's Irish home rule bill. In open
ing his address Mr.. Lloyd George re-
marked upon the extreme difficulty of
his task, difficult indeed" he said,
after such discreditable outrage as
has just been perpetrated in Dublin"
The premier said parliament must
get the fact right into its mind that
In the existing circumstances no pos
sibie scheme for Irish home rule was
universally acceptable. Therefore, he
continued, parliament must assume
the responsibility and propose what it
thinks fair and just A settlement
would be found not in the enactment
of a home rule scheme, but in its
working.
Freedom In island Affairs.
Two legislatures, one for Ulster and
one for southern Ireland. would be
provided. and the way is left open for
a union of the two sections, should
they decide to take this step. Fullest
possible freedom would be accorded
the Irish legislatures in administer
ing the affairs of the island, while in
matters affecting the empire Ireland
would have voice In the imperial
parliament.
The two legislatures to be created
in Ireland the premier said. would be
clothed with full constituent powers
to create single Irish legislature to
discharge all powers not specifically
reserved to the imperial parliament.
The premier said that the Irish con-
tribution to the imperial services was
estimated at f1S,000,000 annually. A
joint exchequer board would settle
the rate of contribution for the future
and the question of taxable capacity.
1t was proposed to place f1,000,000 at
the disposal of each of the two par
liaments to cover the initial expendi-
ture.
Ireland, said the premier, was the
only country In Europe except Russia
where the classes who elsewhere were
on the side of law and order were out
of sympathy with the machinery of
the government. While Ireland was
never so prosperous as today, the fact
remained. he declared, that Ireland
was never so alienated from British
rule as she is today.
Any attempt at secession, the pre-
mier announced, would be fought with
the same determination, force and
resolution as had been shown by the
northern states in America.
The representation of Ireland at
Westminster, Mr.. Lloyd George an
nounced, would be reduced under the
proposed measure TO 40 members, as
in the act of 1914.
Each of the two parliaments would
have taxation powers equivalent to
those of the state legislatures of the
United States. The income tax and
the excess profits and super taxes
would be levied imperialTy. The Irish
parliaments would control all local
matters and all machinery for the
maintenance of law and order except
the higher judiciary and the army and
navy.
Parliament Reserves Rights.
The customs and excise services
would be retained by the imperial par
lament, the premier stated. but when
Ireland was united 1t would be open
to the imperial parliament to consider
whether united Ireland would have
control of the customs.
The premier said the bill would
contain clauses protecting the rights
of minorities. The postal service
would not be transferred, he added,
until there was single parliament In
Ireland.
The government proposed TO give
the Irish government the advantage !
of all duties and taxes raised in ex-
cess of fair contribution to the i'm
perial services, and free gift, in adj
dition, to>f1nance the development of |
the Irish parliament, the premier de-
clared.
1t would rest with the Irish people |
themselves, said Mr.. Lloyd George, |
whether they desired union. The
consent Of the British parliament |
would not be required, and in order |
to offer a greater inducement to union,
the government proposed that certain
additional taxing powers should be in
force.