We expect to be told that it is useless to
write about the past and that what is wanted is some suggestion for a future policy in Ireland. We are willing to try our hand. In the first place, it must now be considered certain that one of 'the first acts of a Dublin Parliament under the pact between Mr. Collins and Mr. De Valera will be a declaration of complete independence for Ireland, that is, the foundation of a Sovereign Republic. The Coalition here will, of course, object, but whatever they may say they will never induce the British people to reconquer Ireland. We have made that an impossibility by the policy of the last nine months.
What we ought to do, now that the men who signed the Treaty of Peace have gone over to the side of. the Republicans, can easily be stated. We ought, at once, to declare the Treaty void, and then to put Southern Ireland outside the Empire and treat her as an Independent State. We should do this by our own act and not by means of negotiations. We muat, however, insist on certain conditions. The Loyalists, of the South must be given the _right, if they so choose, to remain British subjects. If they " opt " for British citizenship, they must receive the fullest compen- sation in respect of such property as they cannot bake with them. If the Irish. Republic refuses to meet these obliga- tions we must pay the compensation ourselves and-exact it, as we, easily can, from the Irish State. The way to do this is to impose on all South Irish agricultural and other produce sent into this country an ad valorem duty 4 30 per cent., if necessary. Ireland cannot avoid paying this impost. She cannot send her produce elsewhere. She cannot consume it herself. To give up producing for our market would ruin every farmer in the South. We, on the other hand, can get all we want from elsewhere, i.e., from Canada, if Ireland ceases sending us bacon and eggs, cows and horses. South Irish produce is worth some £240,000,000 a year. A 10 per cent. duty would be enough to pay interest on 500 millions. That will suffice for a good deal of compensation, but, if necessary, we can make it a 30 per cent. duty. As to protecting the Northern State from raids and murder, there will be not more, but less difficulty, if we do not engage in the sorry farce of pretending that Southern Ireland is in the Empire. With South Ireland an Independent State the task of forcing her to behave herself will be much easier than now.
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