IRELAND’S DESTINY.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1921, Page 5

IRELAND’S DESTINY.

Feeling of optimism.

CONFERENCE LIKELY. DECISION THIS WEEK. By Telegraph.—Tress Assn.—Copyright. Received September 11, 11.5 p.m. London, Sept. 11. A private session of the Dail Eireann has been summoned for Wednesday. It is generally believed among Dublin | Sinn Feiners that the invitation to a conference at Inverness will be accepted. It j is rumored in Dublin that De Valera is I sending Mr. Lloyd George his acceptance to j a conference before the meeting of the Dail Eireann on Wednesday, which will appoint plenipotentiaries. ‘ Dublin telegrams indicate widespread public confidence that the Sinn Fein Cabinet will accept, the Government’s invitation. to a conference. What is regarded as an important development occurred in Belfast, where a truce has been arranged between Catholics and Protestants. Representatives of the two parties responded to an invitation to meet the police and military, and readily acquiesced in a suggestion to discourage disorder. London, Sept. 9. English and Irish newspapers generally approve Mr. Lloyd George’s letter, and all quarters anticipate that Sinn Fein will accept the invitation to the conference. The general tone of the comment is decidedly optimistic. Freeman’s Journal says: ‘‘The reply is encouraging in many respects. It opens the door wider than ever, and subjects every issue to discussion. Tn such a conference as is proposed it would be open to raise the subject of guarantees on any point in which Irish freedom may be considered to be prejudiced by the proposals. The form of the invitation gets rid of all those embarrassing conditions and limitations on discussion.”

The Journal strongly advises that the only method of settlement will be an ordinary round table conference, when all misrepresentations and misinterpretations can be set right. The Irish News says: “A general feeling prevails that the* Irish delegates will meet the Cabinet at Inverness.”

The Irish Independent sees no reasoi why statesmanship could not succeed ii hammering out a settlement.

The Belfast Newsletter says that the re-opening of the door to a conference, which Sinn Fein itself closed, is good statesmanship on the principle of giving Sinn Fein all the rope it needs.

The Irish Times declares: “If the offer is rejected we shall find in that calamity a minute grain of consolation. The whole wide world will know* that the men who could spurn the nation’s greatest opportunity since the days of Henn’ 11. are unfit to rule this or any other country.”