New-York tribune., 1920-09-30
Viscount Suggests Island
BE Given the Same Free
dom as Enjoyed by the
B.ritis h Doninions
Time Limit of 2
Years Proposed
Declares Lack of Respon.
sibility Is Underlying
Cause of Trouble

FROM 1he 1rt6une'S European Bureau
Copyright. 1920 New York Tribune Inc
LONDON, Sept. 29.-Viscount Grey
OF Fallodon to-day came forward with
all important suggestion for the solu-
tlon of the Irish problem. 1t is Writ
ually generous form of home rule,
involving three cardinal points:
Definite announcement that Great
Britain and Ireland must have
single foreign policy and a common
army and navy. Separation of these
matters could not be tolerated any
more than the North could stand for
The separation of the South in the
United States, says Lord Grey.
lrlshmen must be as free as peo-
Piles of the great self-governing do
mlnions and settle for themselves
now their country shall be gov
erned.
The British government should
continue to perform the function of
government in Ireland for period
not to exceed two years and with
draw at the end of that period or
sooner, if Ireland is ready.
The full text of Viscount Crews
message which was published in The
Westminster Gazette, follows:
Discredit to Craftsmanship
ireland has never been such ~
proach and discredit to British states
manship as it is to-day. 1t has been
unable to punish or prevent the con-
slant murder of those who serve il.
IN parts of Ireland its authority has
apparently ceased and been superseded
by Sim Fein courts, from which alone
can any redress be obtained for ordi
nary crime or wrongdoing; and some, if
not all, of the Unionist majority in
Nationallst Ireland, hopeless of pro-
tectlon from the British government.
is now advocating dominion home rule
Fein. >'"-'
The British administration, in fact,
exhibits the helplessness of an ex-
tremely feeble government while in
curing all the odium of one that rules
by force. Ireland is more discon-
tented than ever and there is no pros
pect of settlement or improvements
10 this we have come after CEN
turles of British rule, and it would be
well Tor every one, whether he has
been a home ruler or a Unionist to
look for the cause with fresh mind.
Underlying Cause of Failure
The permanent underlying cause of
1allure SO prolonged and persistent
as that in ireland is not! to be found
IN the shortcomings Of individual gov
erNments, not even in those of the
present government. Faulty as all gov
ernments may be and as many British
governments in Ireland certainly have
been, the Irish question would have
been solved before now but for one
thing-thc difference between Irishmen
themselves, that is, between Ulster, or
part of Ulster, and the rest of Ireland.
And the lesson of past years is that
this difference has been inflamed, and
not composed, by British proposals for
the government of Ireland.
"The present home rule bill now be-
fore Parliament is no exception. Much
is to be said in the abstract for the
lines on which it was drawn-they
could easily be expanded into dominion
home rule for a united Ireland. But
apparently no one wants the bill; no
one accepts it as a solution; and Irish
men will refuse to put it into opera
tion.
ave must, therefore, look to some
other policy for relief. Nothing that
Is in the nature of bargain between
the British government and one part
Of Ireland has any chance of success:
If Sim Fein accepts it, Ulster will
denounce it; if Ulster accepts it Sim
Tein will reject it.
Should Draw Up Own Scheme
"The only prospect for future peace
and good government in Ireland is that
the Irish should draw up their own
scheme. This is the point Lord Hugh
Cecil made very clearly few weeks
CONTINUED on page slx)