Turning to another argument used by Mr. Asquith, Lord Grey
dissents from the idea that the management of Ireland by Great Britain is any longer a trust. "The trust," says Lord Grey, "is a failure." He therefore wants it to be under- stood not merely that Irishmen are free to arrange their own Government, but that they must do so. To leave Irishmen to their own devices at the end of two years if they fail to agree within that time would be, as we pointed out last week, like opening the doors of the Zoological Gardens, withdrawing the keepers, and letting the annuals devour one another. Lord Grey's answer to such objections is merely that "Protestant Ulster is quite strong enough to make her own terms with the rest of Ireland "—an answer that is a negation of governing. In conclusion, Lord Grey expressos the opinion that political crime in Ireland is probably the result of hopelessness. His idea is that to compel Irishmen to arrange matters between themselves, whether they want to or not, would end the hope- lessness. We have seen little boys urged on to fight by bigger boys, but we have never yet seen a civil war planned with such admirable intentions as Lord Grey's.
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