THE IRISH PROPOSAL OF THE "TIMES."
[TO THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—You have often published letters from me on an Irish settlement. If you refer to previous numbers of the Spectator you will find that the chief suggestion of the Times on this subject is simply a rehash of the plan over and over again suggested in your columns by the writer. I disapproved of the suggested omission of the Six Countieelfbwinnumerable reasons. I approved, however, of the omission of the whole of Ulster, and that it should be given the choice either a remaining as it is, attached to Great Britain, or becoming a separate Irish State, governed by its own Parliament and ready to coalesce in an all-Ireland Parliament as soon as the Parliament for the other three Provinces had proved its efficiency and good faith. I suggested also that the two Parliaments might be joined in a common Senate, thus ensuring equal legislative treatment while leaving to each Legislature the control of its own Executive. This seems to me more immediately effective than the Times plan, which seems to favour an all-Ireland Parliament almost immediately, which undoubtedly would be resisted by Ulster. In the present condition of Ireland no plan could possibly be effectively worked. The immense majority of the people are madly Republican, and grossly disloyal to the British Empire and their own most vital interests. The other day in Dublin I attended a debate in the Abbey Theatre at which Sir Horace Plunkett elaborated his Dominion ideas. I was so horrified with the scandalous remarks of the Republican speaker, his Bolshevik tendencies and cruel remarks about the British Empire, our sailors and soldiers, and the absolute folly of his economic doctrines, that I found it impossible to remain silent and gave vent to the enclosed speech, which explains itself, and which I hope you will find room for in the Spectator, always the true and generous friend of Ireland and Ulster.—! am, Sir, &e., Omagh. EDWARD THOMPSON, ex-M.P.
[We are sorry not to be able to find room for the speech, but we are grateful to Dr. Thompson for his generous indignation. If only all Irish Nationalists could, or would, reason as he does a settlement would be possible.—En. Spectator.]
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