The Holly chieftain., 1920-12-30
MODIFIED BILL ADOPTED
CRITICS ASSERT IT WILL NOT BE
ACCEPTED BY SOUTH IRELAND
MEASURE TO BE EFFECTIVE
AT DISCRETION OF BRIT
iSA GOVERNMENT.
western Newspaper Union Sexs Service,

tVcstctn NewspApH Union Ntws Sefttcc.p
London. Dec 2l.-The Irish home
rule bill, us slightly modified by the
House of Lords, has been adopted by
the House Of Commons. The measure
now needs only the royal signature to
become law.
The measure will be effective at the
discretion Of the government at any
time within three aud one-half years,
The government reserves the privilege
Of applying the law when the oppor-
tune moment arrives.
The home rule bill as 1t finally
emerged from parliament ready for
the royal assent is not fundamentally
different from the measure the gov
ernment first presented. Months of dis
cussion and efforts to amend In both
house resulted In certain safeguards
being added, which Its adherents be-
lieve will make 1t more acceptable to
the Irish people.
Its critics, however, still maintain
that 1t will not be accepted by South
Ireland. aud in this connection 1t is re-
called that Arthur Griffith, Sim Fetn
leader, said some weeks after the bill
was introduced that there probably
were not ten influential men in Ireland
who had even taken the trouble to read
1t.
The bins critics argue that the
events of the past few months have
not served to change the Sim Fein
attitude that they will not set up the
government suggested by the imperial
parliament.
The bill as presented did not pro-
vide an alternative II either Ulster or
the south. or both. declined to accept
It, but 1t has been amended to the
effect that il either does not accept ii
within three and half years, the
measure automatically dies, SO far as
Nhe section refusing to accept 1t is
concerned.
In the meantime either section de-
citning to accept can be ruled as Il
cr,wn colony. The limit of three and
q half years was adopted because by
thas time there must be an election
asts a new House OF Commons
,.,l,e hill now provides that there
shat he set up by popular elections
two ,e;rltrments, one for Ulster and
one ,,,r the South. Each parliament
shalt decide upon the method OF select
my sts,@kcS The connecting link be-
tween Il mn will be the Irish council
c forty eScnty for each section. Each
nate Ness' select seven of its council
members sad each parliament thir-
tesn.
The cris,a,a bill provided that the
,n'sident OF he council should be the
seTi chancclt9r Of Ireland, but as
s..4enaed he will be appointed by the
lord lieutenant on the advice of the
crown. which means that the govern
n,ent in power can put anyone at the
head Of the Irish legislative body i'll
pleases The idea expressed by minis
ters explaining the bill is that the
council will form bridge upon which
In time the two pariianients can get
together and forys. one body for the en-
tire country.
The measure proyiaes that when
that Is done the powers OF police, IL
nance and other branches OF the gov
ernneat will he tarnsd over, The i'm
perial government viii keep pretty
firm hand on the fundamentals Of the
Irish government during the life OK
the two psriiaments, but holds out
many attractions for = united pariia-
useat that its sr~easorS hope viii coun-
terscs the presaiices that always have
existed between the North and South
The changes made in the powers ct
tAe sssr2saRents as set forth in the
I'LL When Il wss Introduced sre incon-
S,se $50