The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1920-06-09 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

GOVERNMENT AND TERRORISM. The interview which a deputation of the National Upifln of Railwaymen had with the Prime Minister on Thursday with reIference to the Irish situation is likely to 'do good in two directions. It has made it 'clear that the Government, as the reeponeible authority, cannot tolerate .planned wasassination; and it has, we think, tended to broaden the view that a settlement of the Irish question as a whole is More &likely to come from sane negotiation than irom the use of force. The deputation, beaded by Mr. J. 11. Thomas, went to see the Prime Minister with regard to the refusal of Irish railwaymen, and mainly those employed by the London and North Western Railway Company, to handle munitions in Ireland. Bvidently, from the official repo et of the proceedings, Mr. Thomas at all events did not go to the interview so mueh to excuse.or extenuate what the railwaymen had done, as to hear what the Prime Minister, voicing the mind of the Government, had to say about it. Indeed, Mr. Thomas made it clear at the outset that the refusal to handle munition traffic had taken place "without the knowledge or sanction of the executive of the N.U.R.," the contention of the men con. awned being "that it was the only way in which they could protest against what they tailed militarism being introduced into Ireland."  All classes of people in this country ihould be glad that the Prime Minister "took •up the challenge" definitely and plainly. "It is a challenge," he said, "that we cannot refuse to take up without abdicating the whole functions a governMeat." Within a few months, forty-eight members of the Irish police force have been deliberately and foully murdered by their own countrymen, simply for doing -their duty, and considerably over one hundred attempts to murder have also been made. It is inconceivable that Trade Unionism in this country should be asked to label such acts with its endorsement. The Prime Minister had unanswerable arguments to put forward, apart from the prime one of the responsibility of the Government in power. The organised bands of men who have committed the murders end other outrages have been carried backwards and forwards on the Irish railways without a suggestion of a "strike" to stop their share in the matter. The same munitions which Irish railwaymen refused to touch had been made, and had been thandled on the railways and on ships, by co-Trade Unionists in England. Mr. Thomas knew this, of course, and must bave been prepared for the Prime Minister's emphatic declaration that "whatever it costs and whatever it means," no section of transport workers would be permitted to say—" We will carry such and such traffic, but Government traffic we will Dot carry."  We are not suggesting that Trade Unionists in England are in sympathy with the efforts of the lawless extremists in Deland to break down responsible government. We feel sure they are not, except in isolated sections. What we do suggest is that if the Labour Party were in power, and were to admit, in their methods of government, principles such as lie at the root of the action of the Dublin railwaymen, they would plunge the whole kingdom into a condition of chaos in six months. We are sincerely hoping that a real desire for peacetul negotiation foe a final settlement of the Irish misery will manifest itself on all sides—amongst the rebel leaders as well axon the part of the Government, the Ulstermen and the Nationalists; and that each political party in this country will bend its efforts to support the Givernment in this direction.