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Show CIVIL WAR THREATENED Northern Counties of Ireland Will Not Permit Per-mit Dublin Rule London, Sopt. 23 On Saturday, Soptembcr 2S, "Unionists of the northern north-ern counties of Ireland propose to register their formal defiance of home rule. Gathering in halls, market places and churchcB, the men of Ulster will sign a covenant pledging themselves never to submit to any government from Dublin "which may be imposed upon the country bj tho AHquith-Tled-mond home rule bill passed by tho house of commons. "Ulster day" is tho designation xshoaen for this remarkable political sacrament. Home rule In its revived form of local self-government, instead of complete separation for Ireland, has aroused no deeper political feeling In Englftud than other questions the tariff, the lords' and Lloyd -George's taxation measure. Indeed, mo3t of the Englishmen appear willing that Ireland Ire-land Bhould have tho power Involved In Mr Redmond's program if only the constant strife and racial bitterness can bo ended. Threaten War. But the stumbling block has developed de-veloped in the Unionists of Ulster Before they will submit to separation, they will have civil war, tholr leaders lead-ers threaten. Home nilerB, however, treat these threats with ridicule. Members of parliament like Sir Edward Carson, an Irishman, nnd F. E Smith, one of the most conspicuous conspicu-ous of the younger conservatives who Is not an Irishman, have made speeches in parliament and outside, announcing freely that Ulster will never recognize a homo rule government govern-ment and urging the people to resist. Sir Edward Carson and F. E Smith are to bo the first to write their names to the covenant in Belfast city hall, whero the largest assembly Is expected How many names will appear ap-pear on this uniquo declaration of Independence In-dependence is a subject of newspaper contention. Predictions of Ulster on. j thuslasts range from half a million to j a million ' Churches Mixing In. J The Belfast corporation bas recom- mended all cmplovcrs to give Satur- i day to their men as a "day of rest" . The governing body of the Prcsbyte- I rian church has issued a manifesto ' declaring that the home rule bill threatens religious freedom and set- j ting apart the day as one for worship I and prayer. The covenant is to be ' Bigned on tho steps of the Belfast cathedral and religious sen ices will be held there, hr well as in many Prcsbvterinn, Methodist and Church of Ireland places of worship in Ulster . Unionist women have formulated a drpft declaration for members of tbclr I sex to sign and are preparing a dem- j onstration. The signing of the covenant may prove a prelude to a great rebel'ion. ' or it may be u flash in the pan. Two vcais at best must elapse before homo rule can begin to be csLiblish-ed csLiblish-ed because the house of lords can hold up the bill for that time. The present pres-ent drift of political feeling indicates that tho Liberal party may go out of office within that period. |