| OCR Text |
Show WOULD LEAVE M QUESTION!) WILS1 John Dillon Makes Proposal Propo-sal in House of Commons; Views of Asquith. LONDON, July 29. The debate in the house of commons today on the Irish question ended in the defeat of the Irish adherents. The motion of John Dillon, the Nationalist leader, condemning the government's Irish policy, was rejected by a vote of 245 to 106. Mr. Dillon's suggestion that the question ques-tion of Ireland be referred to President Wilson was well received by the house, but, as former Premier Asquith pointed out, it could not be expected that the President of the United States would undertake un-dertake such an arduous task at this time, and the matter was obviously one which the British people would have to settle themselves. The question was one of overwhelming importance, Mr. Asquith declared, and he made a strong appeal to the government to make another effort, even at the eleventh elev-enth hour, to settle it. Attempt to Conciliate, The chief secretary for Ireland, Edward Ed-ward Shortt, made a speech conciliatory in tone, but it did not conciliate the nationalists. na-tionalists. " They received the warmest support from the labor party, whose spokesman, William Adamson, member for West Fife, announced that Mr. Dillon's motion would receive its support, the labor party believing that the Irish question could be settled by a generous measure of home rule, and, he added, the British people ought to grant it now. Introducing his resolution, which expresses ex-presses the view that the "true solution of the Irish question is to put into operation opera-tion without delay in regard to Ireland the principles laid down by President Wilson," Mr. Dillon admitted that the Nationalist party was in difficulty, but, he added, "we are because we have struggled strug-gled to save the constitutional position and bring Ireland into the war, while the government has done everything In Its power to drive her out of the war." A War Question. The Nationalist leader declared the question of Ireland was a war question, and that was why he brought it up at the present time. How could Great Britain, he asked, put before the world as one of her objects of the war the freeing free-ing of small nationalities, when there was Ireland lying at her back door "under "un-der the unhappy tyranny of a military government" ? The Irish were holding back in the war, Mr. Dillon declared, because they be- ' Heved the government was determined to ; break faith with Ireland and deny her the ricbt which she had won after a long and i patient struggle, j There had been a German plot in Ire- ' 'and before the war; there had been a German plot in Ireland slnc-e the war. They had three objects: First., to de- (Continued on Page Two.) ' WOULD LEAVE IRISH QUESTIOFi TO WILSON (Continued from Page One.) prive the British of Irish help; second, to compel Great Britain to keep a large number num-ber of British troops in Ireland; third, to weaken the moral position of BritaUi In dealing with the cause of small nationV Way to Conquer Plots. The Germans, said Mr. Dillon, had succeeded, suc-ceeded, simply and solely because of the operations of the British government. The way to conquer German plots, the Irish nationalist leader went on, was not to break faith with, but to win the sympathy sym-pathy of the Irish people themselves. No one in Ireland believed in any pledge of the British government or that the government gov-ernment would stick to ''any policy whatever. what-ever. Mr. Dillon counseled the premier to settle the Irish question by referring It to President Wilson, or else by taking it into his own hands and abandoning at once all coercive measures The premier might very well ask America, he added, to render ren-der another great service to humanity in the reconciliation of Ireland and Kngland. Replying to Mr. Dillon's speech on his motion. Edward Shortt,- secretary for Ireland, Ire-land, said that the government had been compelled to take strong action in Ireland Ire-land because there was a complete military mili-tary system in southwest Ireland. Instructions In-structions were given, the secretary declared, de-clared, as to how to cut railways and destroy bridges and communications, while explosives had been secretly imported. im-ported. Asquith's Appeal. Herbert H. Asquith, former premier, made an appeal to the government in the interests of the country, the empire and j the entente allies, to try again, even at ' the eleventh hour, to find a settlement of ! the irish question. i Hegarding the suggestion made by j John Dillon, the Irish Nationalist leader. ! that the Irish question be referred to ! President Wilson, Mr. Asquith said: !. "He would be a very bold man who would expect Mr. Wilson to undertake a task which has baffled so many pioneers in the past. If it could not be referred to members of our own family, it does not seem that a question of that kind could well be submitted to the arbitrament arbitra-ment of a foreign country, however friendly." Of Supreme Importance. "The debate has made clear," said Mr. Asquith, "the supreme and overwhelming nrpnrtance of the settlement of the Irish question." The adoption of a man power bill this Vfar apptivable to Ireland had increased the difficulty of a settlement. An atmosphere atmo-sphere had been created in Ireland which had shifted for the time being the balance of political power from the constitutional to the revolutionary party. That was a verv serious state of affairs. "How are you going to have a league of nations" asked Mr. Dillon. "There are many difficulties in the way of a league Of nations," replied Mr. Asquith. As-quith. "I re land will be one."" interjected Mr. Dillon. "I entirely agree," said Mr. Asquith ; "but tills Irish question is one which we must settle for ourselves and by ourselves." |
