September 11 1924
Speaking yesterday at the great Liberal meeting in Penmaenmawr, Caernarvonshire, Mr Lloyd George dealt at length with the Irish “boundary question”.
“Here,” he said. “I find myself in complete accord with the government of the day, and Liberals are pledged to give them all the support in their power to carry through their policy.”
The Irish banshee has once again appeared in our midst as it always does in every moment of difficulty in the history of this island. We cannot afford this distraction at this anxious juncture in our affairs, when unemployment is higher, trade is worse, and the outlook more menacing than it has been for a hundred years.
Let us remember that this dispute was one of the causes responsible for the great world conflict in 1914. It is very problematical whether war would have been declared if Britain had not been believed on the continent of Europe to be as completely absorbed in serious civil dissension over the Irish question that she could not intervene in a European struggle. In the view of the world, we looked at that time like a nation on the brink of civil war, with our army in full mutiny.
The Curragh incident made a deep impression here, but that was nothing to the impression if made amongst the great military nations in Europe.
The officers of our Army were supposed to be disaffected and rebellious. Ireland was divided into two hostile camps, each of them armed to the teeth for the fight, and partisans of both sections in this country were doing their best to assist them to prepare for the bloody issue.
Germany in these circumstances naturally said – ‘You need not bother about Britain. She is out of action. She has trouble of her own. So this is our chance. Drive ahead’.
Let us take care that an equally great catastrophe does not result from the bigger problems and more menacing conditions that afflict it.
And what is it all about? It isn’t even the issue of 1914. It is infinitely more trivial. It is merely the uncombed fringe of that quarrel.
