(EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.)
_House of Commons, Monday, July 27._--To-day set apart for consideration
of Navy Estimates. To-morrow assigned to Second Reading of Home Rule
Amending Bill come over from the Lords. Up to yesterday public attention
centred on latter event. Questions reverberated: What will Premier do
with the Bill? What will follow on his action?
This morning British Public wakes up not to one startling surprise but
to two. War is imminent in East of Europe. War has actually broken out
in streets of Dublin.
Nearer event illustrates afresh the unfathomable versatility of Ireland.
For months the country has been taught to expect armed outbreak in
Ulster. At any moment, we were told, the patience of the Ulster
volunteer, with current of events devised and controlled by constituted
authority, would collapse. Civil war would be in full swing.
At moment when postponement of threatened action had lulled public into
sense of security, news comes of conflict between armed volunteers and a
detachment of soldiers of the line. In newspaper columns appear stirring
pictures of populace thronging the streets and stoning the soldiers as
they march back to their barracks; of volleys fired in defence and
reprisal; of men, women and children falling dead or wounded in the
streets. And lo! the volunteers on the warpath are not Ulstermen, but
Nationalists. The city given up to murderous riot is not Belfast, but
Dublin.
House meets in half-dazed condition to face this amazing jumble of the
unexpected. JOHN REDMOND moves adjournment in order to discuss it.
Interest of situation intensified by circumstance that the rifle shots
fired by the O'Connell Bridge, Dublin, did more than kill three citizens
and wound thirty-two others. They threaten to dissolve compact between
Irish Nationalists and HIS MAJESTY'S Ministers. Sorely strained on
occasions, it has hitherto remained inviolate. With South and West of
Ireland looking on suspiciously at relations with Saxon Government--a
necessity admitted but its existence never liked--it behoved AGAG
REDMOND to walk delicately.
Accomplished feat with considerable skill. Appeared from official
statement that, as sometimes happens in Ireland in analogous cases--on
the Curragh, for example--someone had blundered into direct opposition
to Ministerial policy and intention. Troops had been called out by
authority of a minor official. Firing had opened in the streets of
Dublin without word of command from officer in charge of detachment.
Supreme representatives of Government, whether at the Irish Office or
Dublin Castle, were innocent of offence. They were simply
unfortunate--which in some cases is worse than being guilty.
* * * * *
Illustration: "I have had considerable experience, perhaps a larger
experience than any man in this House, of being taken to task for the
actions of those who were my subordinates or my colleagues.
[Laughter]."--_Mr. ASQUITH._
* * * * *
On the whole, debate carried through with marvellous repression of Party
passion. It is true LORD BOB suggested that Ministers should be hanged
(or "suspended," as he put it). That is only his way of expressing
diversity of opinion on matters of detail. Division keenly looked
forward to. Would Redmondites be satisfied with suspension of
Sub-Commissioner of Dublin Police when they demanded head of Chief
Commissioner on a charger? Would they abstain from the division, or
would they, joyously relapsing into original state of nature, "go agin
the Government"?
Catastrophe averted by resisting motion for closure and carrying debate
over eleven o'clock, when it automatically stood adjourned.
_Business done._--Clontarf "incident" discussed.
_Tuesday._--The elephant is justly proud of the range of its
adaptability. As every schoolboy knows, with its mighty trunk it can
uproot a tree or pick up a pin. Analogy found in case of House of
Commons, with perhaps a preference for picking up pins.
This afternoon the war-cloud lies low over East of Europe. News
momentarily expected--it arrived before the dinner-hour--that Austria
had declared war against Servia. Match thus applied to trail of
gunpowder, no one can say how far or in what direction the flame may
travel. Meanwhile ominous fact that by way of precaution other Powers
are preparing to mobilise. In addition to grave happenings abroad, we
have at home our own little war. Sudden outburst of fury in streets of
Dublin last Sunday indicates grave possibilities in the near future.
In these circumstances reasonable to suppose attention of House would be
centred on these contingencies, its demeanour attuned accordingly. On
the contrary, liveliest interest at Question-hour aroused by discovery
that persons employed in business of peeling onions are exempt from
payment of Insurance Tax.
House and country indebted to FRED HALL for disclosure of this
remarkable circumstance. As a rule his questions do not attract the
measure of attention their merit possibly demands. This largely due to
fact that they are so numerous, so constant in appearance on the paper,
and are doubled, sometimes trebled, by supplementaries devised in the
spirit the SPEAKER delicately describes as animated by desire rather to
give information than to seek it.
But this discovery of the super-eminence of the onion-peeler in the
matter of freedom from taxation instantly riveted attention. It was news
even to WORTHINGTON EVANS, who has spent his days and nights in
mastering obscurities of Insurance Act. From all parts of the House came
sharp inquiry for further information. Was the potato-peeler also
exempt? If not, why not?
Trying moment for WEDGWOOD BENN. Faced it with customary courage and
something more than habitual rotundity of official phraseology.
"Employment as an onion-peeler," he oracularly said, "has in a special
order been specified as a subsidiary employment, and contributions are
not required to be paid in respect of persons so employed."
That all very well as far as it went. It did not go to the length of
explaining the mystery that racked the mind of all sections of parties.
Why the onion-peeler in particular?
* * * * *
Illustration: [According to Mr. HEALY'S interpretation of what he
called "a kind of foreshore doctrine of legality," the PRIME MINISTER
had laid it down that guns are liable to seizure on the shore below
high water mark, but that, once they are fairly on dry land, "the
proclamation has exhausted itself."]