Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-02-28
BRITAIN MAKES
PUBLIC TEXT Of
HOME RULE BILL
+. FOR THE IRISH
Measure Proposes to Set Up
Two ParliamentS, One for
the North and One for the
South of Ireland.
CHURCH AND STATE
FOREVER SEPARATED
individuals Not to Be Pun
ished for Their Religious
Beliefs; May Be Members
of Any Denomination,

10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED WlREl
London, Feb. 27-The govern
ment tonight made public the text
of its Irish home rule introduced
in the house of commons on We'd
nesday and passed through its
first reading by title. The meas
ure follows closely the outline
given the house by Premier Lloyd
George in December last. By its
provisions two parliaments would
he set up, one for the north and
the other for the south of Ireland,
the northern to consist of fifty
two members and the southern of
1928 members. The representation
in the imperial parliament would
be twelve for north Ireland and
thirty for south Ireland, necessi-
tating the apportionment of Ire
land, which is provided for in the
bill.
The northern area would be
composed of the counties of Ant
rim, Armagh. Down, Fermanagh,
Londonderry and Tyrone and the
Eoroughs of Belfast and London
derry.
A Council for Ireland" COM
POSED of forty members, half of
whom would be selected by each of
the parliaments, also is provided
for in the bill. The legislative
powers of the new council would
he only those granted it by the
two legislatures. but the trainers
CT the bill hope it will form a nu-
cleus around which would be built
one parliament for the whole of
Ireland. Almost unlimited execu-
tive, legislative and judicial powers
are provided for such a united
parliament, but the powers TO be
conferred on the separate parlia-
ments would be considerably cur
tailed. Responsibility for organiz-
ing the united parliament and the
power to create 1t is left entirely
with the two legislatures. The bill
provides that the united parla-
ment, If formed, would control se
customs and excise.
At the outset, according to the
bill, the parliament would have
full control of education, local gov
eminent and the land policy. agri-
culture, roads and bridges, trans1
portation. old age pensions, insur-
ance, municipal affairs, housing,
hospitals and licenses, all the judi
cial offices would be controlled by
the Irish parliaments, each body
controlling the officers in its own
district, but there would be a
court of appeal for the whole of
Ireland, presided over by the lord
chancellor.
What the government considers
one of the chief safeguards In
drafting the powers of the parlia-
ment is a provision specifically
prohibiting either body from es-
tablishing any particular religious
creed or. penaliZing anyone for be-
longing to or not belonging to any
religious denomination.
1t is provided in the bill that the
imperial parliament control the
higher judiciary officers until such
time as the two parliaments might
he agreed on the method OF ap-
pointing them. The imperial par
lament also would control the
royal Irish constabulary of Dublin
and the metropolitan police for
three years, if united parliament
is not organized by that time.
other powers reserved to the
imperial parliament embrace the
crown. peace and war, foreign az
fairs, army and navy, coinage, de-
fense, treason. trade outside ire
land, postoffice, navigation. includ-
ing merchant shipping, wireless
and cables, collection of income
and excess profits taxes and GUS
toms and eXcises.
The two parliaments would be
given the immediate right to col
lect certain taxes, including death
duties, stamp taxes. entertainment
taxes, license fees and such others
of a similar nature which the leg
islatures might devise. 1t is stipu-
lated that Ireland contributed FOR
two years to the support OF the
empire on the basis of 1919-192O,
which figures about 18,0OO,OOO
pounds annually. OF this, North
ireland would contribute AZ per
cent and South Ireland SIS per cent.
A joint exchequer board would
be created to determine the taxa
BILE capacity of Ireland in relation
to the balance of the United King
dom, and decide what amount Ire
land should contribute after the
two-year period.
The decision of this board will
stand for five years when the case
may be reopened. The board shall
consist of equal numbers of repre-
sentatives of the two Irish parlia-
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