THE DAIL MEETS.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 January 1922, Page 5

THE DAIL MEETS.

SEEKING COMPROMISE. PARTIES TO CONFER. SESSION ADJOURNED. By Teiagrapti.—Pres* Assn.—Copyright. deceived Jan. 6, 8.5 p.m. London, Jan. 5. The excitement was intense when the Dail Eireann assembled this •morning' Mr. Fitzgerald attempted to raise the question of the kidnapping of Mr. Kav (a London Times representative who was kidnapped and later released), but •he Speaker ruled him out of order. The Speaker accepted a motion for an immediate adjournment until the afternoon, in order to curtail the debate.

During the interval the party leaders conferred, seeking to escape from the impasse. The ratificationists admitted that the rejectionists had gained ground since Tuesday, which confirmed Mr. Walshe’s pessimistic forecast. The Dail Eireann re-assembled in the afternoon, but only sat for an hour before it adjourned again by party agreement. A committee appointed to try and compose the differences reports to a private meeting to-morrow. The negotiating committee consists of four ratificationists and five oppositionists. Commandant O’Duffy, one of the negotiators, informed the Dail Eireann that substantial agreement had already been reatehed on a number of vital points. He added that he thought it would be possible to retain Mr. De Valera’s services, but the scheme was not agreed on by the leaders themselves. Mr. Mulcahy then moved that the Dail Eireann should meet in private.

During the meeting to-day there were lively protests against an article in Freeman’s Journal. A motion* to exclude its reporters from the Dail Eireann was withdrawn after discussion.

Mr. Drohan has resigned on the ground that as his constituents in East Tipperary demand ratification he eould not vote for the treaty. It is expected four or five other deputies will adopt the same course. The capture of Mr. Kay was first announced in the Dail Eireann to-day by Mr. Fitzgerald, who described it as a disgraceful occurrence. It created a sensation in Dublin to-day. Mr. Collins, who was enraged by the outrage, saw a Press deputation and expressed the greatest regret at the unauthorised action by some Cork men and promised an enquiry. He ordered Mr. Kay’s immediate release. THE NEW TREATY. NOT ACCEPTABLE TO BRITAIN. JOURNALIST KIDNAPPED. London, Jan. 5. The Dail Eireann has adjourned and will meet privately to-morrow. A committee is seeking a way out of the impasse. A high authority in London points out that Mr. De Valera’s amendment to the Irish treaty is not new. Its details were thoroughly thrashed out during the negotiations and finally rejected. The British Government would not accept them. Following is an addendum to Document 2: “While refusing the right ro any part of Ireland to be excluded from its authority, the Irish Parliament agrees to safeguards not less substantial than a treaty.” Freeman’s Journal says the Irish people will not find in Mr. De Valera’s publication any justification of his attempt to divide the nation in the. crisis of its fate. His alleged alternative is no alternative.

Apparently Mr. De Valera cannot forgive the Irishmen who made the treaty for their success. For this he is ready to sacrifice the country. He has not the instincts of an Irishman in his blood. It is the curse of Ireland that its unity should be broken by such a man, acting under the advice of an Englishman who achieved fame in the British intelligence service. The document is largely the work of Erskine Childers. The Irish people must stand up and begin their freedom by giving their fate into the hands of their own country-

There is a note of pessimism in Dublin in regard to the fate of the treaty. While it is conceded that De Valera’s proposals have had very little influence yet there has been a change in the last twenty-four hours which has led optimists to feel that the treaty is in jeo-

pardy. Mr. Walsh believes that it will be rejected by two votes. There are a number of wobblers whose final decision cannot be guessed at. It has just been revealed that armed men yesterday captured Mr. Kay, Dublin correspondent of the London Times, in Leeson Street, and drove him away in a motor car. The kidnappers warned the jou-nalists accompanying Mr. Kay not to raise an alarm, and declared that he would not be hurt, but was wanted to refute a statement. The Dail Eireann will discuss the matter.

Mr. Kay has been released. As special correspondent of The Times he traversed the country gathering impressions of popular opinion on the treaty. Aparently his reports angered the extremists. A statement is made that journalists were present at the kidnapping. They were having dinner a* a grocer’s shop and, contrary to custom, were invited into an inner room and the door locked. Three men entered and covered the party with revolvers, and told Kay a car was outside and he would have to come or be riddled. The other correspondents were menaced into silence. Mr. Kay was told to hand over his copy to his colleagues. The kidnappers said they were taking Kay in order to make him retract a certain statement. The journalists protested to Mr. Fitzgerald, who attempted fb raise the mater at a sitting of the Dail Eireann, but was not allowed. Mr. Collins end his colleagues are most indignant over the incident and believe the move emanated from Cork.