Evening star., 1925-11-29

The British Empire.-Twelve Brit
ish communists charged with CON
spring to utter seditious libels and to
seduce soldiers and sailors from their
duty were found guilty by a jury,
and were sentenced to IL months,
7 to s months imprisonment On all
cases without labor.
Unemployment in Britain and
Northern Ireland has dropped by
l28, 900 in five weeks.
Prof John Mcneil, the Irish Free
State representative on the commits
sion, appointed pursuant to the Lon
don treaty of 1921. which created the
Free State, to delimit the boundary
between the Free State and Ulster,
has resigned from the commission. He
asserts that he resigned because
Article XII of the London treaty was
not conformed to in determination OF
the line agreed on by the other two
members Of the commission (repre-
senting the British government and
the interests of Ulster. respectively.
That article prescribes that The
commission shall determine in ac-
cordance with the wishes of the In
habitantS SO far as may be COM
patible with economic and geographic
conditions the boundary between
the Free State and Ulster. 1t will
be interesting to learn precisely how
the commission went about to ascer-
tain the wishes of the inhabitants.
The situation thus created holds the
most unhappy possibilities. Does it
mean that all the Irish fats in the fire
again? Before, something like year
ago, the boundary commission entered
on its labors the British Prtvy Coun-
Gil decided pursuant to the advice of a
judicial committee of its appointing
that a majority report of the commits
sion would be binding and would, upon
it's official publication, become part Of
the London treaty.
Upon Prof. McNeilIs resignation the
question asks itself: Would a report
by the two remaining members of the
commission (the majority but rump)
be binding? ! understand that the
two officers of the British crown have
decided yes. and that the British cabi-
net concurs in this finding.
1t should be recalled in this connec-
ton that the so-called Ulster member
of the commission does not directly
represent the Ulster government. The
government refused to appoint a men,
Der. wherefore the Westminster Par
lament passed a bill providing that
subject to confirmation Of an agree
ment by the British Parliament and
the Dali, the northern Irish govern
ment's power to appoint commits
sioner shall be transferred to and ex-
ercised by the British government,
and for the purpose Of the treaty any
commissioner so appointed shall be
deemed to be a commissioner appoint
ed by the northern Irish government" "
The Dali voted agreement, and j. r.
Fisher, an excellent fisherman. was
appointed by the British government
as the Ulster representative, Justice
the British government.
Naturally, the British government
is loath to promulgate the report of
the rump commission, fearing conse-
ouent resignation of the Free State
government and the devil and all to
nav, and vigorous efforts are being
made for a last-minute settlement
"out of court" The optimists are in
>yoking 1.-The spirit Of Locarno." 1t is
a good spirit If it can put the eternal
uuietus on the Irish boundary
question.
The boundary question is not the
only question agitating the Free
state. Pursuant to Article v Of the
London treaty, a financial commits
sion (whose arbitral award shall be
binding) Is at work to determine the
Free States proper share Of the debt
of the United Kingdom and of war
pensions. The commission is to take
into account ."any just claims on the
part Of the Free State by way of
set-off or counter-claim," and, of
course. there are Free Staters who
assert that under equitable process
n,frsuant to this provision Great Brit
ain would be found in debt to the
Free State rather than the other way
around, Unof1icially. it has been
more than once suggested that. II the
British government would forgive the