Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1920-10-29
Lloyd George Defeats Attack of
ASquith Coalition in De-
bate on ireland.
BRITISH COAL STRIKE ON
Miners Proposals for Settlement Laid
Before ParIiament-Recent Events
in Central Europe-Secretary
Houston Tells Bankers
Taxes Cannot Be
Reduced.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.

Herbert Asquith's grand a~nti-govern-
ment combination in England scored a
complete failure in its first attempt to
overthrow Premier Lloyd George last
week. Parliament had assembled, and
despite what must be considered the
more pressing business of the coal mi
ners' strike, the opposition started in
on the Irish question, calling for a
public inquiry into the alleged atroci-
ties of the police and military in the
island. The motion was made in the
m of Henderson and Adamson, la
Dor party leaders, and Asquith and Sir
Donald Maclean, leaders of the liber-
ais, and the correspondents said 1t was
supported by every party In the house
of commons except the followers of
Lloyd George. Notwithstanding such
a powerful coalition, after a long and
heated debate the government forced
the withdrawal of the motion by q vote
of 346 to 70.
Lord Robert Cecil, speaking for the
motion, denounced the administration
in Ireland as one of the most diSas-
trous and t~actless things in the coun-
try's history, and declared that for the
sake of the country's good name the
government must clear itself of the
charge of connivance in the r%epriSals.
Mr.. AsQuith followed the same line Of
argument and described in detail the
occurrences in Balbriggan and other
towns.
Sir Hamar Greenwood, chief secre-
tary for Ireland, set up the govern
ment's defense In a fiery speech. He
declared the acts of the police were
'deplorable but understandable in
view of the doings of the Irish murder
ers. Asserting that he, and no n
else, was the head of the Irish govern
ment, Sir Hamar said: 1--WE are break
ing Irish terror. 1t is being broken by
the forces of the TOWN which are be-
ing condemned here today. l foresee
at no distant date the end of the
regime of assassination in Ireland now
being carried on by the Irish 'repub-
lican army which has members in
every village.
1--WE are breaking the boycott on the
police and we are breaking the refusal
to carry troops or police on the rail
roads. l would. rather see every Irish
railroad shut down for a hundred
years than yield one jot or title of our
right to carry any one We please"
1t is the expressed opinion of certain
American correspondents that the As
quith following in this matter, though
heavily outvoted in the house of COM
mons, represents the majority Of the
English people and the most thought
full section of the country, and that the
members of the house cannot much
longer ignore the feelings of their rom
%stituents. This opinion, however, can
not be accepted un%reservedly III view
of the bias displayed by these CORE
spondents when dealing with Irish af-
fairs.
Efforts to avert the strike Of British
coal miners failed, and the men all quit
work. Industrial and economic confu-
sion set ia at once, but as the week
drew to a close the situation was not
without its hopeful aspects. The gov
eminent, the people generally and at
least the leaders or the miners fedora
ton fully realized the gravity of the
crisis and the threat of greater disas-
ter to the country II the rail and trans
port workers should strike in SYM
patty with the miners. Prime Minis
ter Lloyd George presented the matter
to the house of commons Tuesday
night in a speech that won hearty ap-
plause and that showed the govern.