Boundary Deadline Approaching – On This Day in 1924

September 13 1924

If nothing happens to make a voluntary settlement of the “Boundary” question possible within the next two weeks, the British Parliament will re-assemble at Westminster and pass the Bill already read a first time on the motion of JH Thomas.

The Colonial Secretary is now speeding homewards from South Africa. He is credited with having stated that he hoped to settle the question on board the ship. We never fully accepted the rather pessimistic assertion that “the age of miracles has passed”. Mr Thomas comes from the country which produced Merlin: but it must be confessed that Wales is also mainly responsible for the existence of Mr Lloyd George.

In the meantime there are few outward signs at home of the spirit that might make an agreed settlement possible.

Everyone accepts the meeting of the British Parliament on September 30 as inevitable; indeed, the necessity for appointing a commission would remain, though its work might be confined to the ratification of an arrangement made outside its “sphere of influence”.

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Sir James Craig is holding a meeting of his cabinet in London this week, and his satellites at home are preparing to hold a series of meetings so that the Cootes, Millars, Coopers et hoc genus omne may be provided with opportunities for reviving old memories and re-kindling dying passions.

These meetings cannot affect the ultimate result in the slightest degree; and we trust the people everywhere will pay no serious heed to the oratorical performances of the promoters. Peace in all Northern Ireland is more essential now than at any previous period to the welfare of all the community; and nothing but suffering and disaster has ever come of violence and crimes in any part of our country.

British governments have procrastinated so deliberately and provocatively ever since the end of 1921, and their dilatory action has been so frequently justified – to outward appearance, at least – by hesitation and confusion in the councils of other parties to the “Midnight Pact”, that only a rash optimist will hope for a speedy end of the present uncertain and somewhat dangerous situation.

Irish News editorial on the likely scenario of the British government having to go through fully with a legislative commitment to appoint a Northern Ireland representative to the Boundary Commission, as a voluntary settlement of the dispute involving the northern government was unrealistic before September 30.