Evening star., 1922-02-17
FREE STATE BILL
PASSES|TSSECOND
COMMONS READING
Ulster Boundary Amendment
Is First Defeated by Vote
of 302 to 60.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, February 1.-THE bill es-
tablishing the Irish free state passed
its second reading in the house of COM
mons today after the amendment Of
fered by Capt. Charles Craig. leader
of the Ulster unionists. for altering
the boundary commission provisions of
the Anglo-lrish treaty had been defeat
ed by vote of 302 to 60.
Lord Hugh Cecil charged the gov
ernment with treating the Sim Fem
as if it were constituted government,
adding:
government and the crimes of a terri
BILE character are breaking out, 1 think
the bill ought to be rejected" He said
the ministers did not express their own
opinions, but one another's opinions.
THE government" he continued, ARE
In the astounding position that they
want the chief boundary commissioner
to decide whether the government
should break faith with Ulster. The
government are looking on with inter-
ested curiosity to see whether they are
cheats and liars"
ADOPTED without Division.
With the amendment decisiveIy de-
feated the second reading was adopt
ed without division.
The amendment thus disposed of
stipulated that in view of the fact
that the treaty provided for the crea-
tion of boundary commission, and
that such provision was in direct
abrogation of listers rights as se-
cured by the government of Ireland
act of 1920 and a breach of the
pledges given by the prime minister,
the house declines to proceed with
the second reading until the govern
ment had given assurances that the
provision in question would be elimi-
mated, or that any decision of the
boundary commission should only
take effect after approval of the
northern parliament had been given
Former Premier Asquith vigorously
supported the bill, in the debate be-
fore the vote, saying the boundary
question was an integral part of the
treaty and that it would be impos-
sible for the government or the
parliament to escape the charge of
gross bad faith if there were any
reputation of that part of the agree
ment.
Lloyd George Denies Charge.
Prime Minister Lloyd George, in
terrupting an attack on the govern
ment by Thomas Moles, unionist men,
ber for the Ormeau division of Belfast,
contradicted the Ulster members as
sertion that the government had as
sured Sir James Craig that the bound
ary adjustment would be of a minor
character, while promising Michael
Collins extensive changes.
A heated alteration ensued be-
tween Mr. Moles and Mr.. Lloyd George
over this point.
"Ulster demands a straight DEAL"
exclaimed Mr.. Moles, who said, in con-
clusion:
surrounding the Ulster area and in
vasion is attempted, we will stand in
the breach and defend it or fill it with
our dead bodies"
Feared Renewal OF Warfare.
The vote came after two days of
eommons ee1ena9as during uene which M another % COM
bined attempt on the part of Ulster
ties and unionists die hards" to kill
the treaty was ineffectively made.
Colonial Secretary Churchill opened
the debate yesterday with what some
Of the London newspapers today
termed the greatest oratorical effort
of his career.
During the debate Austen Chamber
lain, the government leader, revealed
to the house that at one point in the
negotiations with Eamonn De Va
lera the government thought the
struggle in Ireland would have to be
that time communicated with military
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