6 JULY 1912, Page 10

Mr. Asquith and Mr. Birrell are playing with the question

when they pretend that Unionists ought to accept the rest of the Bill if the demand for the exclusion of North-East Ulster were to be granted. Of course Unionists will do no such thing. Even with Ulster excluded the Bill would be a national di,qu3ter, i.e., a measure capable of doing irreparable mischief. It would, however, not add civil war to its other evils, and therefore it would be preferable to the present Bill. One would imagine from Mr. Asquith's speech that there is no such thing as degrees of evil. It is again an unworthy trick to say that Ulster n mit ask for exclusion herself. If exclusion is right, and would prevent a great evil, the fact that the exclusion amendment was not moved by an Ulster member is nihil ad rem.