Orders of the Day — Clause 1. — Provisions for giving the force of law to and carrying into effect Irish Agreement.

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 3 March 1922.

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Photo of Sir Robert Lynn Sir Robert Lynn , Belfast Woodvale

I congratulate the right hon. Member for Derby (Mr. Thomas) on having made a speech that makes the situation as clear to everyone as did the Attorney-General's speech on the interpretation of the word "treaty." It was a most delightful piece of word-spinning, but unfortunately it missed the kernel of the whole matter. What we complain of is that Southern Ireland is going to be constituted as a Dominion State, with absolute control of everything inside its own borders, and not only is it going to be given all these privileges, but it is going to be allowed to appoint half the Council of Ireland, which will manage a large portion of our affairs as well. That is what the Colonial Secretary calls equality. He said there were some things he did not understand. I think that statement was really due to his modesty. I did not think there was anything in heaven or earth that he did not understand. He ought to realise that this is a most unfair anomaly. I am not going to deal with the question of the railways about which so much has been said. Take the question of fisheries. Supposing a boat from Southern Ireland—I do not know what flag it would fly, but perhaps a skull and cross-bones would be an appropriate one —came into Northern waters. What do you expect would happen then?

Does the right hon. Gentleman really think that this arrangement is going to make for peace? Every Member of this House, no matter to what party he belongs, wants to see peace in Ireland. Certainly we do, but this thing is not going to give us peace. On the contrary, it will create additional trouble. There must have been some imp of mischief about 10, Downing Street when this Treaty was drawn up, because it looks as if it was drawn up for the purpose not of creating peace between the North and the South, but for the purpose of creating ill-will. This is one of the things that is going to intensify ill-will. The right hon. Gentleman ought to meet us and treat us fairly. I am afraid we shall not get it. The Labour party and the Independent Liberals will go into the Lobby and keep this most wicked Government of modern times in office in order to defeat us, but the country is watching this Debate. The sense of fair play is not dead in Great Britain yet. We appeal from this House, not from Phillip drunk to Phillip sober, to the electorate. We say that we are being unfairly treated, that in every instance the dice is being loaded against us, and we appeal to the electorate to support us.