IRISH NEWS

New Zealand Tablet, 18 August 1921, Page 31

IRISH NEWS

SOUTH AFRICA AND SEPARATION. General Hertzog, leader of the Nationalists, replying in the South African House of Assembly on May 24, to the speech of General Smuts, declared that the Nationalists maintained that there should bo separation from the Empire on the part of the Dominions. Their defence system was daily being linked to the European military chain in order that in future wars South Africa should go hand-in-hand with Britain. CASTLE LIAR CROCKED: BASIL CLARKE SHOWS SIGNS OF OVERTRAINING. On May 19, 1921, Mr. Basil Clarke, Publicity Director at Dublin Castle, surpassed his own considerable record as a live press agent. On that date ho issued from his department the following official communique, which the Irish, Times (the unofficial organ of Dublin Castle) published under the heading; “Collapse of I.R.A. Battalions.” “A Sinn Fein document recently captured in Dublin shows the disorganisation among the bands of armed civilians in Co. Tipperary, caused arrest of their leadens by the Crown forces. The document is from John Treacy, an important official of the Sinn Fein organisation, and addressed to Michael Collins, the ‘Chief of Staff.’ It states; • Our intention was to call a meeting of all battalion and brigade officers for Sunday, March 20 (1921) • • • to get matters in order somewhat, an important item being, to see that recent order re evacuated barracks is properly executed. . ” THIS LETTER WOULD HAVE A GREATER. PROPAGANDIST VALUE IF DUBLIN CASTLE HAD NOT ITSELF ANNOUNCED, IN THE PRESS OF OCTOBER 10, 1920, THAT SEAN (JOHN) TREACY HAD BEEN SHOT DEAD BY BRITISH TROOPS THE PREVIOUS AFTERNOON IN TALBOT STREET, DUBLIN—THAT IS, SIX MONTHS BEFORE HE IS REPORTED TO HAVE WRITTEN THE LETTER. Try again, Clarke! GENERAL SMUTS’S VIEWS. A cable dated London, August 14, says: General Smuts, before sailing for home, wrote" to Mr. de Valera as follows; “I have done my best to arrange a meeting between you and Sir James Craig, but while ho is willing to meet you in conference with Mr. Lloyd George he still remains unwilling to meet you in his absence. Nothing I was able to- do or say moved him from that attitude. If you request a meeting he will reply saying that Ulster will not be moved from the constitutional position which she now occupies under the existing legislation. She is satisfied with her present status and will not agree to any change, On the other hand, in your letter you insist on Ulster C °- n i ? t0 he United Ireland Constitution, and that until that is done no further progress can be made. There is, therefore, an impasse which I do not know how to get over. Both you and Sir James Craig are. equally immovable Force as a solution of the problem is out of the question both on your and his premises, and the process of arnving at an agreement will therefore take time i V My c T °™ cl ; ion is that for the present no solution based on Ulster’s entering the Irish State, can succeed Any solution on those lines will be foredoomed +.n

I believe it to be in Ulster’s interest to come in, and that the force of community over a period of years would prove compelling, but .at present an Irish settlement is only possible if Ulster is left .alone. My strong advice to you is to leave her alone and concentrate on a constitution for the remaining counties, and by a successful running of the Irish State eventually bring Ullster ini Ireland is travelling the same painful road as South Africa did, but with wisdom and moderation she is destined to achieve the success and freedom which will lead inevitably to unity.

“As to that freedom you arc called on to choose between two alternatives. You say that a Republic is the true expression of national self-determination. 1 The British Prime Minister made an offer of the other form of freedom on a Dominion status, which is working with complete success in other parts of the British League. What is good for these ought to be good enough for Ireland, and for Irishmen to say to the world that they will not be satisfied with a Dominion status would be to alienate that sympathy which has been the mainstay of the Irish cause.

"The Prime Minister offers a complete Dominion status to 26 counties, subject to certain strategic safeguards which you are asked to agree to voluntarily as a free Dominion, and which we South Africans agreed to. To my mind such an offer by the Prime Minister, who, unlike his predecessor, is in position to deliver the goods, is an event of unique importance. It is far more than was offered to the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. They accepted a far less generous offer, and from it improved their position, until South Africa became happy and contented and a completely free country. I hope you will become a sister Dominion in the great circle of equal States, who will stand beside you should you need help and protect your new rights as if they were their own; who would view any invasion or violation of that status as if it were their own, and who would give you the most effective guarantees against any arbitrary interference by the British Government.

"I am satisfied that from a constitutional point of view a settlement of the Irish question is now possible and practicable. It is the human difficulty which remains, and it is now mostly a human problem. It will Be the gravest reflection on our statesmanship if this auspicious moment should be allowed to pass.

"You and your friends have a unique oppportunity, such as Parnell and his predecessors never had to secure a lasting peace. I pray God you may be wisely guided, and that peace will be concluded before tempers change and another generation of strife ensues.”