IRELAND'S HOPE.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17223, 13 August 1921, Page 9

IRELAND'S HOPE.

GOVERNMENT'S PEACE OFFER. SINN FEIN REPLY RECEIVED. AN OPTIMISTIC VIEW. (By Cable—Press Association—Copyright.) (Australian and Jf 7 Cib!<» Association.) LONDON, August 11. Mr Austen Chamberlain announce# in the House of Commons that Mr de Valera's reply to the Government's proposals had been forwarded to Mr Lloyd George. The Dail Eireann has summoned Mesrs O'Callaghan, Gavin Duffy, and Boland, the Sinn Fein representatives in Paris, Rome, and Washington respectively, to attend the meeting of the Dail Eireann. The British Government has undertaken to issue passports and grant facilities for their homecoming. It is understood that the nature of Mr de Valera's reply will not be divulged until Mr Lloyd George makes an anouncement in the House of Commons on Monday or Tuesday. The reply came with unexpected suddenness, following on Mr de Valera's conference with Michael Collins, The manner of its coming leads the best-informed authorities to take a most hopeful view of its purport. (Received August 12th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 12. Cabinet will meet on Saturday to discuss Mr de Valera's reply, which it is stated, on the one hand, contains nothing calling Mr Lloyd George urgently to London, and, on the other hand, that Mr de Valera demands a complete amnesty for 3000 Sinn Feiners now detained, which is a matter of the grayest importance, necessitating 'Mr Lloyd George's presence in London. The "Daily Chronicle's"' lobbyist says Sinn Fein regards the Government's offer as a generous one, which should form tho basis of further negotiations. (United Service.) (Received August 12th, 7.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 11. The "Star" interviewed Mr Macartney, an intimate friend of Michael Collins and other Sinn Fein leaders. When aiiked; "Is a settlement coming?" Macartney replied: "Of course it is. Dublin has no doubt about it, nor have de Valera, Collins, or any other of the leaders." Mr Macartney does not expect a final settlement before the spring. He says the Sinn Feiners are going to accept Mr Lloyd George's proposals with certain reservations. The leaders recognise that the proposals are most generous, and afford a basis for further negotiations." Mr Macartney anticipates that when the proposals are disclosed they will cause a great outcry from one wing of the British Unionists. They are practically identical with the proposals the British Government submitted to Sinn Fein two years ago. Mr Lloyd George's plan was to give North and South Ireland control of their respective militias, but Federal regiments ; would co-exist in each province. Sinn Fein would prefer separation, but Mr de Valera and Collins know they must be content with less.