IRELAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1921, Page 7

IRELAND.

DE VALERA’S STAND. UNTRAMMELLED BY CONDITIONS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, Sept. 16. Mr. De Valera has telegraphed to Mr. Lloyd Geqrge urging Sinn Fein’s right to enter the conference untrammelled. Mr. De Valera has telegraphed, to Mr. Lloyd George as follows:—“I am surprised you don’t see that if we accepted a conference on the basis of your letter of September- 7 without making our position equally clear Ireland’s representatives would enter the conference With their position misunderstood and cause Ireland’s right to be irreparably prejudiced. Throughout the correspondence you have defined your Government’s position. We defined ours. If the positions were not so definitely opposed there would be no problem to discuss. It should be obvious in a case like this that if there is to be any result the negotiators must meet without prejudice and untrammelled by any conditions except those imposed by the facts as they know them.” —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. PREMIER OPTIMISTIC. AS TO CHANGE OF ATTITUDE BY DAIL EIREANN. London, Sept. 16. The Evening Standard’s Inverness correspondent states that Mr. Lloyd George heard with amazement that Sinn Fein had published the letter to which he objected most emphatically. The fact that he is confined to his room did not prevent his immediately replying strongly to the letter. The Premier is optimistic that Dail Eireann on second thoughts will see the wisdom of changing its attitude.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. SINN FEINERS AT DRILL. London, Sept. 16. It is understood that Cabinet will be summoned as soon as Mr. Lloyd George is well enough. Meanwhile those Ministers now in Scotland will probably meet at Gairloch. Police cyclists last night surprised Sinn Feiners drilling between Cookstown and Coagh, Tyrone. They were fired on and retired for reinforcements. Meanwhile a party of loyalists surprised, captured, and disarmed the Sinn Feiners, while a patrol captured three cyclist scouts with loaded revolvers. — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. IRISH PRESS COMMENTS. ON MR. LLOYD GEORGE’S LETTER. London, Sept. 16. Mr., Lloyd George’s speedy reply has caused a tremendous sensation in Dublin, where it is considered that the outlook was never before so threatening. Dail Eireann will meet forthwith. The Irish Independent says: “We .are loath to believe that the Premier’s letter is the last word. A deadlock after the recent mutual display of goodwill would be disastrous. We fear Mr. Lloyd George’s note bears traces of hasty composition.”

The Irish News says: “’The news will fill the Irish people with consternation and the world outside Ireland with anger and astonishment. If Sinn Fein rejects the final warning and plunges the country into chaos it will be defying the hopes and wishes of nine-tenths of the Irish people.”

Freeman’s Journal describes as an extravagant misconstruction the Premier’s statement that to confer on the terms of Mr. De Valera’s letter would mean the recognition of Ireland as an independent republic. Moreover, the Journal points out that Mr. De Valera’s reply does not call for a formal preliminary recognition of the claim. The police and military were engaged all night in raids in North Queen Street, Belfast, where the shooting occurred earlier in the evening. The Belfast Telegraph declares: “The truth is that Sinn Fein never had the will for peace, which therefore canpot be achieved.”

The Belfast Newsletter says: “There is no way to a settlement short of the surrender of the independence claim. Sinn Fein is now at the parting df the ways for Ireland's good or evil. The only hope lies in the abandonment of the impossible claim.” The Northern Whig says: "Mr; De Valera has forfeited all claim to courtesy and consideration from the British Government. Mr. De Valera’s attitude throughout has not merely been that of an ingrate, but also that of a truculent, malignant enemy of Britain.”