The Government are deliberately taking a step which will make
the unity of Ireland impossible. If we could forget that fact we should not have much fault to find with the spirit and manner in which the Prime Minister moved the second reading of the Irish Free State (Con- firmation of Agreement) Bill in the House of Commons on Tuesday. The substance of his argument was that the men who made the Treaty meant it to work and that the Boundary Commission was necessary to make it 475 work. He indignantly denied, however, that the Govern- ment were attempting to coerce Ulster. If there were any way out of the difficulty other than that which the Government had felt bound to choose, he would be delighted to hear of it. Mr. Macpherson later in the debate suggested one way out—an amendment defining the duties of the Commission. Will not the Prime Minister consider that ? Can he not even be delighted with it ? " Even when the Bill is passed," said the Prime Minister, " the Government will still try to bring about a compromise by mutual agreement before the Bill is ratified by the Free State." He trusted that party passion would be banned.
* * * *
