The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-05-08
British Labor's Report On !
Freedom for Irish PeODl,

: LONDON, England. = The report
was issued recently Of the results. Of
the inquiry conducted by the parlia-
mentary labor com mission upon the
present condition of affairs in Ireland,
the chief Recommendation Of which
were briefly cabled to The Christian
Sciance Monitor. (
Inc commission remarks that much
OF the prevailing discomfort in Ireland
Is unquestionably attributed to the
civil and military authorities having
destroyed practically all the safe
guards OF political and personal liberty
and driven many nationalists Of the
constitutional school into the arms Of
Sim Fein.
Repression Condemned.
The commissioners quote instances
OF fepresslve measures which have
mad serious. economic effects, besides
the political and moral harm .entailed,
mentioning the prohibition of the Irish
annual fair, and the action taken
against the Sim Fein commission to
investigate the present position and
future development Of Irish. industry;
members of which were elected from
the Cork city hall on the occasion of
the labor commissions visit.
In the course of an exhaustive sur
vey of present tendencies and livi-
sions Of Irish political opinion, the
report admits that Sim Fem stands
for the ideal Of an Irish republic, that
it is in being and was fuactioned in
some directions as a de facto govern
ment, but observes that its authority.
unlike that Of the English govern.
ment, is derived from the consent Of
the majority of Irish electors: 1t is
clear, the report remarks. that the
country is overwhelmingly opposed to
the present political system, in itself
a sufficient justification for change.
Majority of Irish Unhappy.
There is also an economic case, the
commission considers, against the
union. The majority of Irish people
are not happy. under British rule,
neither are they normally az prosper
GUS as they ought to be. Nationalist
Ireland under alien domination is in q
state Of economic arrest. In support
of this contention the report quotes
statistics on the authority Of Slim
Fem, tending to show that the union
lays upon Ireland far too heavy 9
financial burden; claims that practi-
cally nothing is being done in the way
of housing; that coal mining, though
in certain parts it would be an eco
nomical proposition, is inadequately
developed; that canals, water trans
port, and water power are being al.
most entirely neglected, the fisheries
deliberately discouraged, that amons
other omissions little has been done
in replanting timber areas cleared by
the exigencies Of war. It declares en-
phatically that the neglect Of Irish in
dustry under the union adds enor-
mously to the difficulties and dangers
Of the political situation.
AS to the political problem no single
t'once for alr' solution can be- applied
to the present state OF feeling. One
ward solutions; such as ''separation''
or partition" the commission believes,
raise more difficulties than they re-
move.
Compulsion Versus Free Choice.
1--WE believe" says the report; 1.-The
solution lies somewhere between the
extremes of the no-change policy of
Ulster and the clear-out policy Of Sim
Fem. The labor party is committed
with the whole British nation to the
principle Of self Determination, the
acceptance Of which implies the right
of the Irish people to determine their
own future. If Ireland were left free
to decide between remaining within