Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-09
LLOYD GEORGE FIRM
ON HIS IRISH POLICY
Makes Appeal for Unity in Face
Of Crisis; Independence
impossible.
BY Associated Press to

BY Associated Press 10 Ev@rv Evening
London. Feb. 9-@we are engaged
IN a terrible task" said Premier Lloyd
George in a speech yesterday % the
Welsh National Liberal Council, in
which IN inapassioned words he de-
tended the Coalition Government srG
pleaded ardentfy for q continuation u
political unity. 1T IS something more
important than defending myself and
my administration. he said. he asked
whether anyone could say that the
need for unity had passed ana ex-
claimed
7 wish 70 God everybody could. Be
cause It worries me. II Ills me some
times with dread. II someone could
tell me that the danger Is past, some
one with authority. someone with Vi
sion. someone whose word we could
take, I should be 50 glad that would
sign my resignation tomorrow
a world reeling under the most ter
ri6ie blow ever dealt, was his char
actsrization Of the situation. Gigantic
events. he said. were n the making,
and old factional fights among the var
ious parties should not be resurrected
until the peril vas over.
The Prime Minister'S speech was N
answer 10 recent vigorous attacks upon
the coalition and The breaking away OF
some OF the important coalitionisis.
who nave decided that the time has
come 70 stand for their own parties.
Abiding 70 ireland. ne said the coaA-
tionists had given ireland a greater
measure OF home rule than either Clad
stone or AsQuirh had proposed.
But" ne added. they say they
won't take it, They must have an Irish
republic. an Irish army an Irish navy
They won't get it. and II they don't get
il. we are told. they viii Kill our police
men. our hOldiers-not IN open lighting
but hiding in homes. walking as respect
able tenant farmers or staggering alcng
! the road until they come 70 a hiding
! place. where they and rifles. passing
perhaps the very policeman they are
about 10 murder. as though they were
] innocent men.
Are we 10 allow that sort OT thing
to be done without protecting the peo-
pie we are sending there? (Cries OF
NO. There is no issue between
! US and our political opponents on Home
Rule. We have gone one better than
the Gl9dstonian Home Rule.
There is an issue about setting up
an independent country by our very
gates-by the places where submarines
used to lurk and sink our ships and
endanger our commerce and the life OF
! the nation There is an issue as to
whether the policemen and soldiers who
are there upholding the honor Of our
+ flag are 70 be shot down by men who
lurk in houses. | know Of no other
issue.
Dublin. Feb, q one hundred armed
Sim Feiners gained control Of the
F.! Great Northern Railway station in
this city last night and held il for more
than an hour A train going from
Burtonport to Londonderry was de-
/ rallied by unknown persons who placed
houlders on the track but there were
+ no casualties.
During the evening eight armed men
entered a jewelry store in WELLINGTON
/ quay and carried of goods valued at
5000 pounds sterling.
Belfast. Feb .. Timothy Crowley, 81
I Ballylanders. County Limerick, has
been sentenced to fifteen years penal
servitude for taking part in an attack
upon police Search Of his home il
said "a have resulted in the discovery
4 OF three reviewers and IS rounds az
ammunition,
I London. Feb. 2. Father Dominic. re-
Gently convicted of seditious activities
/ 10y a Dublin court martial has been
| placed in Parkhurst prison. at Newport
Isle of Wight. lie has been sentenced
| to serve three years imprisonment and
| was brought TO this city from Dublin on
| February /.