On the Report stage of the Bill, which was completed
on Wednesday, Sir. L. Worthington Evans moved a new clause providing that if either Rouse of Commons were not properly constituted—if, that is, less than half the members were elected—the Crown might dissolve the Parliament ind adminiater affairs through the Lord Lieutenant and s committee of Irish Privy Councillors. He said that he would not move the clause imposing an oath of allegiance on all candi- dates. The elected members would have to take the oath before they could sit. Mr. Asquith said that the Southern Parliament would be a farce ; he assumed that the Sinn Feiners would not take the oath of allegiance. Mr. Boner Law retorted that the position was not farcical but tragic. The Bill would give Ireland the largest measure of self-government. The Government believed that the Irish Nationalists would become Inc.:celled to it when they realized that the Government were not going to be driven by murder to offer more than the Bill conceded. The clause was adopted by 137 votes to 11.
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