The Annual Register 1914: A Review of Public Events at Home and Abroad for the Year 1914Anonymous
History
The Annual Register 1914: A Review of Public Events at Home and Abroad for the Year 1914
Anonymous
History, Modern; History, Modern -- Periodicals; World War, 1914-1918
In the Commons on the same evening Lord Robert Cecil (U.) moved the
adjournment to call attention to the growing danger caused by the
existence of the two Volunteer forces and the failure of the Government
to deal with the situation. He said that the Irish Volunteers were
ready and even anxious to fight Great Britain, and existed to secure
and defend Home Rule. In proof of this latter statement he quoted a
recent speech by Mr. Devlin, and he declared that it demolished all
the safeguards in the Home Rule Bill. The Prime Minister had said the
day before he hoped that when Home Rule became law the activity of
both forces would be diverted into constitutional channels; but the
Government were simply drifting. When the Ulster Volunteers were formed
they should either have made concessions or prepared to coerce Ulster;
were they going to submit to the National Volunteers or resist them,
and were they going to make real concessions in the Amending Bill?
The position was a scandal to the Government and to civilisation. Mr.
Amery (U.) said that the position in Ireland was paralleled only in
Albania. The only way out was to go to the people. The Chief Secretary
for Ireland replied that the drillings of the two forces were legal
with the permission of two magistrates; so was carrying arms, with
a proper licence. It would be difficult to prove that the purpose
was seditious to the satisfaction of a Belfast or Donegal jury. The
history of Ireland showed the vanity and futility of trying to suppress
the expression of public opinion by British State prosecutions. The
creation of one Volunteer force entailed that of the other. The Ulster
gun-running was almost as much admired among the Nationalists as among
the most fervent Protestants; many strong opponents of Home Rule were
proud of the inclusion of many old soldiers and fine young men in the
Nationalist Volunteers; a feeling might quite possibly arise in favour
of a united Ireland. The Volunteer movement itself did not add greatly
to the dangers of the situation; discipline and the ability to use
firearms were good things, and discipline under responsible men did
not readily lead to action against the law. He hoped a solution would
be found of the existing difficulties; the Government must continue
in their path of securing for the Irish people responsibility for
the conduct of their own affairs. Mr. Bonar Law said that no strong
Government would have submitted for a moment to Sir Edward Carson's
challenges to put down the Ulster Volunteers. The Government had
done nothing because they knew the people were not behind them, and
to interfere with the Ulster Volunteers would have brought about an
election. Pending an election, the British Unionist party must support
Ulster. The Government were still drifting. Mr. Dillon (N.) said the
Volunteers of the South had arisen spontaneously, and for purely
defensive purposes. They were prepared to maintain the law, because it
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