2 OCTOBER 1920, Page 3

The Westminster Gazette on Wednesday published a scheme for Irish

Home Rule by Lord Grey of FaRoden. After describing the scandalous state of Ireland, he says that the permanent underlying cause of it is not the shortcomings of any individual Government, but the differences between Irishmen themselves. With that general analysis woof course agree. The differences, religious or racial, between the South and West, on the one hand, and North-East Ulster on the other, are notoriously the root of the trouble. One would expect that Lord Grey, having put his finger on this principal cause of strife, would have had a good deal more to say in favour of the present Home Rule Bill, which is based wholly on the recognition of that cause. The Bill provides for the two Irish parties acting together in the future, but it does not attempt to force them together pre- maturely. Although Lord Grey sees that the Bill is well inten- tioned, he dismisses it as simply one more example in the long list of British attempts at pacification which have ended in inflaming the passions they were meant to allay.