The crisis is due to the criminal folly of the
Government. They let the Ulstermen organize and arm for over a year. They suddenly woke up to the danger of threatening to coerce armed men and making no preparations for doing so. Then they determined to retrieve their error by holding in force the chief strategic positions in Ulster. But they could not do even this without bungling, bullying, and practising 811 economy of truth so severe that it looked to the plain man like deliberate falsehood. They let their military chiefs put hypothetical questions to the officers at the Curragh which con- vinced them that they were to be used, not to keep the peace between Protestants and Roman Catholics in Ulster and to pre- serve order, which they fully recognized as their duty, but to attack the Covenanters and destroy their organization. Then the Government's agents, including the Secretary of State for War and Lord Morley, who helped to modify the Cabinet document, though he had been present throughout the sitting at which the document was agreed on, made a compromise with the officers and sent them back to Ireland reassured as to the future. Then, because the Labour Members and Radicals were furious, the Government seized upon the fact that Colonel Seely and Lord Morley had made the assurances stronger than were contained in the paper sanctioned by the Cabinet, and repudiated the agreement made by their agents. [Ordinary people, if an authorized agent has exceeded his powers, punish the agent, but do not, except in extreme oases or where there is fraud, repudiate the bargain.]
