The Daily News. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1921. DE VALERA’S FIAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1921, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1921. DE VALERA’S FIAT.

Though it was hoped that the Sinh Fein leader (Mr. de Valera) WGixld prove his patriotism and, in the interests of peace as Well as the welfare of the Irish people, accept the terms arranged between his colleagues and the British Government, he has chosen to reject the peace terms, the acceptance of which, he asserts, he cannot recommend either to the Dail Eirefmn er to the country. He claims to be supported in this de-

cision by two of his Ministers, while the treaty was signed by. four delegates (Messrs. Arthur Griffiths, Michael Collins, R. Barton and (1. Duffy). Wliat the. actual position with regard to the views of the Irish Cabinet is un-i certain, though it appears clear th'at De Valera is in a minority, and the impoi’-tant question isWhether he win force the iSfcVK? by’ relying on his personality and past popularity and take a plebiscite, or will be amenable to reason. There exists a bod>' of Irish' headed by De Valera, who are oilt for H republic, and; De Valera’s recent die-hard speeches have placed him in such a position that he must either go forward or climb down. Naturally the former is more suitable to his t-emperftmfrnt. While the latter would assHreffly Whakeni his presage,- y<4 the immensity of the stake should cause him and' the other extremists to pause and carefully consider the perilous situation which will be created if 'the terms are absoluT.ety refused. Such- an impasse seems unthinkablF ih View of tire fa-ct that four champions of Irish freedom have, after much discussion, willingly and freely put their signatures* to an agreement which embodies the utmost limit of the terms Ireland can obtain—terms that are exceptionally generous and certainly make Ireland a free nation. It is only necessary to contrast De Valera’s statement that “the terms of the agreement are in violent conflict With tftt* wishes of the •majority of the Irish people as expressed freely at snecassive elections during the past three years/’ with what’ was said by Mr. Michael Collins in an article in the Manchester Guardian: “With a free Ireland the component nations of the Empire are more firmly bound. . . . The creation of an Irish' Free State laid

the foundation upon which may be built a new world order.” In signing the treaty terms, Mr. Collins and the other delegates laid this foundation. Why, then, has Mr. De Valera flung the treaty aside? That is a matter we lyould rather not discuss. We prefer to regard the position as being not so bad as it looks, if only on the ground that as four prominent Irish delegates subscribed' their naniea to' the agreement arrived at, tlWi*6 ifttlst surely be a large body of their countrymen who will also accept the terms. De Vaiera- s attitude is quite but De Valera is not Ireland. He may be testing his power over the people, but it is to be hoped that, extremist he is, he will hardly be prepared to undo all the good work dong by his colleagues, or run the risk of riding fdr a The Sin'll Fein Cabinet and Parliament as welt as the Irish peclplc all have a voice in the final decision. It is nbt tsd ffiiich to hope fez the verdiet favoring peace. Meanwhile the hold-up isgreatly to- be deplored-*