IRISH PEACE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17420, 3 April 1922, Page 7

IRISH PEACE.

OPTIMISM DEPRECATED. EAJ)I< Y FOES OF THE INFANT STATE." rab'e-*' 1 '"* Ae»o(ii»t.ion—Copyright.) (B) 'J£)ii a and -<■'£■ C* bi « Association.'. LONDON, March 31. During the consideration of the amendments made by the I rouse of Sin tho Irish Free Stato Bill, Mr .-■ Winston Churchill, referring to the ! Irish Conference, paid a tribute to tho Ltesroanlihe enrage and camera eo'odwi'l displayed at the most critical Juncture of Ireland's fortunes by Sir Tames Craig and his colleagues. Hie valuo of the agreement could not oe over-estimated. By taking all the measures humanly possible to bring about the cessation of the religious parUlster would give the tisan wariart, u* » Treaty and the Provisional Govern. m nt a far greater chance, of sue ' ces3 than would ever otherwise bo posible This hope of unity and co-opera-tion ' undoubtedly opened out for the Irish in all parts of Ireland prospects 0 f a peaceful and progressive future for their country. Tho two Governments in Ireland, in arriving at an agreement, had rendered a supremo service, not only to Ireland, but to tho ff holo of the British Empire. In consequence of this action, our nledses and obligations to secure Ulster's rights under the 'J reaty arc reSrted Ulster's position will be ctrensthened before the whole world lher earnest desire to create peace aL eoodffiU- The Government could W consent to any alteration -in tno fiTtowcver small. Evcmi if they frit ti'at the Treaty was m some rethose defects were i„ importance with the danger of beginning to mar the symmetry of the position. Those who were iightm 2 for the ' Treaty were loth to encourage .optimism A long and weary period ot anxiety and uncertainty was before the country. He hod complete confidence in the faith and goodwill of the Irish signatories, but less coniidence in their powers to discharge fully what they undoubtedly desired He was speaking absolutely frankly. Ho felt it was better to trace the iacts quite brutally, and not to nourish any illufiions. The infant Irish Free State, while still in the cradle, was exposed to deadly foes, who would not hesitate to use any means, however cruel, i treacherous, or made, to destroy it. They might have, in the course of the nest few weeks, to use graver words about some aspects of occurrences in parts of Ireland. Captain Craig assured the House that Ulster would do all that was posSiblß to carry out the agreement. KrPevlin said he believed that the "'ot'. policy in Ireland would succeed. Lgjd Hugh Cecil was pessimistic; as V tfewreement had no driving force hehjad ft, It was not likely to settle the Jmh question. Cblonel Wedgwood voiced the Labour Party's approval of the agreement. Colonel John "Ward said the Govern- ;? ment should make it clear that it was not responsible for the delay in, carry-, ing out the Treaty. The delay had : given Mr de Valera a chance of in- / fluencing opinion against the document. ! Mr Churchill replied that the Provisional Government was responsible for. the delay. They knew their own business best, and it remained to be seen whether the course taken was not the right one.

PRESS JUBILATION. LONDON, March 31. <lho Dublin and Belfast newspapers the agreement. The "Irish "faMs* 1 says: "Its terms represent a aiid\coura:jeous effort to WJWTe the caiftes 1 of strife between the NoM and the South, and to lay the foundations of a national settlement. Oodd Irishmen will thank God for this >jp?einent." , ' The'"Northern Whig'' says: "The "fttholic minority will now be enabled ■ ,fallow, once for all, that Catholicism rl Sinn Feinism* are not synonymous. ispbtfous that Mr Griffith and Mr .JMjljg signed the agreement, in order ;, i(} pe jn a better position to concen- \ W}M against Mr de Valera. What [' kwilMnl'is not their good faith, but Their power to control the I.R.A. * ihituieers." a te Mr Arthur Griffith, president fo the Bail Eireann, in an interview, said: If the document signed Inst ni?ht is carried out in the spirit of the signals tories, jt will give w later the unified 'lreland which every honest and sen* «ble Irishman, whatever his creed, I' deßires"

TREE STATE ACT RECEIVES . ' i Ki ROYAL ASCENT. ,V ' ,f> "LONDON. March 31. J, Tho Free -State Bill, has received the jUrloyil Assent. The House of Commons discussed the Is'llouse of Lords amendments to the Bf-Jtte, State Bill seriatim when Mr pjjCflurchill had concluded his statement gfejlij the conference. feiTho Government amendment >elutpfag. to the month allowed to Ulster for H&ffitraeting out of the Free State wa3 jpWfcpted, but the House disagreed with' |*l q. e °ther amendments. |?..Sir H. Greenwood announced that |htte disbandment of the Rovnl Irish g in Southern Ireland had |{:ftntolencf'd to-day, and that the forco I* Northern Ireland would be uisbandW as soon as possible. .- (Received April 2nd, 5.5 p.m.) *■' *l LONDON, March 31. e HoUse of Lords decided not to on the amendments to the Irish '»' i *2?i' tate B '"> «hich immediatelv rethe Royal assent. !

4 REPUBLICANS PLANNING COUP. m. iOYAL TROOPS MOBILISED. '|[i (Received April 2nd, 11.5 p.m.) ■'■£JL LONDON, April 1. ■Hb Ir,sh Freo lStatc assumed full but the Provisional Go'lpti* 1 * '* co,l f'Outcd with an immi--'SMtakv"'" 8, Xt is ,c l wr t«d that the J«pWKans contemplate secretly mobil'*'s&*!? a , coup to-morrow, consequent-J-JBrP 8 lf, J'<U to the Freo State as■V'Smttt heir res P°ctive headquarters J S; v °WJSBfI OUTRAGES. April 2nd, 5.5 p.m.) §£«*' LONDON. April 1. gPaffiL' *** a*& mco captured Captain i&yar|lfr IMHJ »n officer in County RosHFBfcK from his hote1 ' and inot ° red a <wn destination, m intimating that they H I ** r ° ot ° f NeXt Column)

would not allow any courts to function except the Republican tribunals, suppressed the Bailinrobe quarter, sessions. A police patrol was ambushed at Newry. One man was killed and one wounded. A bomb was thrown into a house in Belfast. A child three years of age was killed, and two other children were, wounded. Irish recalcitrants held up the Londonderry train at Newtown, Cunningham, and burned the newspapers. They also ejected the Tree Staters from the Cardonagh and Morville barracks and commandeered the hotel at Buncrana, the largest in Donegal. Ulster is still without peace. Large Irish Republican forces at midnight on Friday attacked a. party of Ulster police in a mountainous district near Cooktown, East Tyrone. A running light ensued, the rebels being driven off, losing one killed and Several wounded. Commander Ackland, of the Royal Irish Constabulary, was wounded. Armed men raided the Claremori is post office and stole £IOOO at the revolver's point..