New Britain herald., 1924-09-26
IRISH BOUNDARY | AND ITS PROBLEM
Numerous Aspects Of Present Difficulties

Washington, D. C.. Sept 2s. - "The complicated Irish boundary question, now stirring Ireland and England, has numerous aspects, any one of which might be responsible l for the present disagreements," says bulletin from the Washington, D. | C.. headquarters Of the National Geographic Society. The bulletin deals with the region along the boundary line between the Irish Free State, or Southern Ire- land, and Ulster or Northern Ire- land. The desire of the Free State to add to It's territory portions of the countries of Tyrone ahd Fer managh, as 1t has already added the former Ulster counties of Monaghan, Donegal and Cavan, constitutes the present problem. Ulster is unwilling to surrender the additional territory.
 Part of Ireland Isn't Irish
 "Ulster, in the northeastern corner of Ireland, is in tho odd position of being part of Ireland which is in large part not Irish" says the bulletin. Three hundred years ago the British King James I, with the desire to Anglicize part of Ireland, decided to plant colony of Eng lish and Scotch. What is known as the Ulster Plantation followed. Other plantations hade been at- tempted in southern Ireland without accomplishing anything save suffer- ing to the natives and loss to the 'undertakers, as the imported land lords were termed. But the Ulster Plantation took and flourished. Scotch Blood Dominant in Ulster.
 "The original plan of the king was to have English settlers dominant in Ulster; but he also permitted the Scotch to participate. English set tiers were not easily interested, how ever, while the Scotch flocked in, making the Plantation dominanty Scottish. By 1860 the population of Ulster consisted of some S0,000 in- habitants of Scotch blood, 5000 of English ancestry, and 10000 Irish. Altogether probably about 100000 Saotsmen moved 10 Ulster. The English were soon merged with the Scotch but the Irish. and Scotch strains remained almost entirely in dependent.
 Ulster differs economically from the rest of Ireland. Either the Scotch immigrants had greater propensity toward industry or their economic conditions were more fav- orable. At any rate Ulster has be- come the marked industrial regior of Ireland while the remainder oi the country, save in the larger cities has not followed this line of develop. ment.
 \ Land of Flax.
 %There is a religious difference too, between North and South Ire hand. Ireland, including Ulster, wa Catholic. The Scotch immigrant brought their Presbyterian religion with them and it became firml, rooted, The English Governmen favored the established Church 0 England and this is also strong il Ulster; The Preshyterians and tn Ipiscopalians combined to-day ti the scale in Ulster to the side 0 Professionalism. But the margin not great.
 ."Physically Ulster has a greate proportion Of highland than mos other parts of Ireland, but a larg nart of the land is in cultivation Flax is seen everywhere, especial in.the eastern counties, in the neigh borhood of Belfast, the great worl center of the linen industry.
 "The present border between tn Irish Free State and the State Northern Ireland, created in 192 and 1921, extends through a rathe rough country. Dundalk on the ca! coast, is just south of the line. Nea this city is one of the passes throug the hills used since earliest timt in Ireland: and because of this situt ton Dundak's neighborhood hi been the scene of numerous battle Farther west the boundary touch the long, deep valley in which li Lough Erne, the longest and u next largest lake in Ireland. TT islands largest lake, Lough Neag lies in the heart of Ulster cast
 Belfast.
 Ulster Has Shrunk
 "Formerly Ulster consisted of tl northern tier of counties from coa to coast. When the two self-gover ing states were formed, howevt Donegal, largest of the Ulster coun ies, occupying the northweste corner of Ireland, was attached
 the Free State.. The boundary of t State of Northern Ireland, therefor does not now reach the Atlantic h turns at its southwestern corner
 few miles short of the coast a