For the rest, Sir Edward Grey was full of belief
that the Dublin Parliament would be the kindest of stepmothers to Ulster. It is clear, however, that Sir Edward Grey, like the rest of the Government, is very unhappy about Ulster. That being so, why do not he and his colleagues do what is obviously the right and reasonable thing in these circumstances—that is, introduce into their Bill a clause allowing a majority of the voters in any county, if they so desire, to claim exemption from the Act P By doing that the Government could at once get rid of the Ulster problem. But, instead of doing this, they have recourse to the pitiful device of daring the people of Ulster to ask for separate treatment—as did Mr. Winston Churchill—though they never add : "If you ask for it we will, of course, give it you." The truth, of course, is that the Government are powerless to give the local majority in North- East Ulster the right of exemption. If they did, not only would the Nationalists withdraw their support, but the whole financial house of cards raised by the Bill would tumble about the ears of its creators.
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