IRISH AFFAIRS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 April 1923, Page 2

IRISH AFFAIRS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION)

THE FREE STATE,

REVIEW OF SITUATION.

LONDON, April 10. The Australian Press Association’s

special correspondent in Dublin says : “The curtain is about to fall on another act in Ireland's secular drama. The last week has seen the virtual J - annihilation of militant republicanism for the time. Tho Irregular forces, bereft of the late Liam Lynch, loin Derry, and Austin Stack, are sheep without a shepherd. Peace is in sight at last. The deus-ex-maehina- will bo Mnnsignor Lazio, the Papal Delegate to Ireland, who has been lollowing Mr Bonar Law’s example, and waiting for the psychological moment to intervene in the interest ol peace. I hat moment arrived to-day. A special meeting of the Dublin Corporation will ho held on Monday whereat Munsiguor l.uzio will 1.-e asked to institute negotiations for pcaee. President- Cosg.rave, O’Higgins, Blythe and Hogan, the Fi’ce State Ministers, arc still determined to push their advantage home, and to insist on the Republicans’ unconditional sm render. Powerful influences, however, are at work- to save the faces of Do Yiiler.i and his associates, while it is quite certain that the people as awhole, hare no desire to sec their fallen idol humiliated. Therefore, when Monisgucr L-uzio intervenes, he will have the whole-hearted support of the people, and lie will move more readily when lie sees that success will not—only bring peace to Ireland, but will restore the diminishing prestige of the Roman Catholic Church, which has never been at a lower ebb. The final Y tcrms are likely to follow closely these whereto Archbishop Harty has lent his name, and which Mr Austin Stack proposed to support at the ill-starred Republican lenders’ meeting in the Ivncck-iiK-aldmvn .Mountains. It must be remembered that the Free State Government has now 15,000 prisoners. Their future hehav iour depends largely oil ■the terms of settlement. The “Irish Times" calls for a — once between the Free State a and Republicans, with a view to the

negotiation of an immediate peace. It suggests Monsignor I.uzio as chairman of the conference.