Evening star., 1925-11-28
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL !. COLLINS.

sule Home rule was assured by The
Liberal administration Of Great Britain
about the time OF the outbreak OF the
World War. but II was postponed un-
til the war should close
At last. In 19se. the British Pariia
ment adopted an act creating status
for Ireland Identical with that of Can
dividing it into two independent parts.
each having a parliament for home
rule.
Northern ireland included the Coun-
ties OF Antrim. Armagh. Down. Fer
gh. Londonderry and Tyrone, and
the boroughs of Belfast and London
derry. Southern Ireland uhe irish
Free State, included all the rest ot :,
Ireland.
That act was cIear-cut as to bound
airy. but it was rejected by the Irish
Free State, which, under the leader
ship of the Sim F'ein Gaelic for Our
selves Alone'1, demanded that there
be enc Ireland. to cover the whole is
land. independent OF the British En-
pire.
A compromise was enacted In 1927
and accepted by the Irish Free State.
ever the protest of the Republicans.
headed by former President De Valera
BY this compromise it was stipulated.
in article Il: "A boundary commits
sion shall determine. in accordance
with the wishes of the inha bitants. 80
far as may be compatible with eco
nomic and geographic conditions, the
boundary between Northern Ireland
and the rest of Ireland"
Northern Ireland refused TO recoR-
nize any compromise. and stood for
the law of 1920. She refused TO ap.
point any representative on the bound
ary commission. hoping to defeat the
consideration of a boundary other
than the fixed boundaries of the coun-
ties as named in the 1920 act.
In 1921. therefore. another act was
passed by the British Parliament au-
thorizine the British government to
designate commissioner 10 represent
Northern ireland, in case she refused
to act. Northern Ireland still stand
ing on the act Of 1920. the British GOV
ernment appointed J. r. Fisher.
an Ulster lawyer and journalist. 10
represent Northern Ireland. and
Justice Feetham of South Africa 10
represent Great Britain and serve as
chairman of the boundary commission.
The Irish Free state appointed Hon.
John MacNeill AS its representative.
subsequently,. Northern Ireland ac-
cepted Mr.. Fisher as it's trusted rep
resenta tive. he being devoted to the
interests of his country. The Irish
Free State has now become the
calcitrant party. refusing to accepi !
the commissions decision, unless il
results in seizing part of Ulster but
none of the Free State territory.
x* X
The population of the Free State is
five or six times that of Northern Ire
land. but there are two elements
which offset that superiority. First.
the prosperity Of Northen Ireland is
based on industries. especially center
ing in Belfast. while the Irish Free
State Is almost wholly agricultural
and is in dire poverty. Second, the
ton Of the British Parliament. regu
larly accepted by both Northern Ire
land and the Irish Free State, the
British government is obligated TO de.
fend It and to protect the interests OF
Northern Ireland and preserve peace
in the entire island. Hence, IL the
Irish Free State resorts to hostilities.
IL will face both Northern Ireland and
the British forces.
The situation is tense. President
Cosgrave-appealst to his followers to
avoid any overt act leading to hostil-
tiles. #sz~
Another cause OF friction between
the Irish Free State and Great Britain
is article 5 Of the 1921 act, which pro
vides that the newly created domin-
ions of Ireland shall assume proper
tionate share Of the British debt, in
cluding the World War pensions, but
that the total may be Offset by coun-
ter.claims Of the Irish. such as may
be found just. The Irish Free State
off1cials are said to be preparing. as
counterclains, the costs and losses
due to the British Black and Tan"
nostflities during the recent Irish re
bellion, together with a great bill for
alleged overtaxation running back
many decades.
1c....i.ht iaak 4. a..i Q a.sa..