IRISH PEACE OBSTACLES.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17317, 1 December 1921, Page 7

IRISH PEACE OBSTACLES.

STATEMENT BY ULSTER PREMIER ' • PROPOSALS UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE." (JBv Cable— Press Association— Copyright.) (Australian and X.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, November 29. Sir James Craig (Premier of Ulster) informed the Ulster Parliament that by Tuesday next the negotiations would have broken down, or the Prime Minis- I ter would have sent him new proposals. J .Meanwhile the rights of Ulster would in no way be sacrificed or compromised, j Sir James Craig said lie told Mr Lloyd George on the first day of their meeting that tho Government's proposals were utterly impossible, and also tliat, not merely Ulster, but Great Britain and the Empire, were affectod. If the people of Ulster entertained the proposals, they must get someone else to lead them. After announcing the impossibility of accepting Mr Lloyd George's proposals. Sir James Craig said he had no means of learning Mr Bonar Law's intentions for the future, but he ventured to predict that, if ever Ulster found itself in a difficulty similar to that from which it had now emerged, it would not call in vain upon Mr Bonar Law to take up Ulster's cause. If it would help the cause of peace in Ireland to refrain, he would not press for the immediate publication of the correspondence between the Ulster Cabinet and the British Government, but if he observed any necessity for publishing it, he would not ask the British Government's permission, no matter what the consequences were. Sir James Craig said the British Government's scheme was for an AllIreland Parliament. "We will not have it," he declared. He warned the British Cabinet to understand fully that this was not alone the determination of the Ulster Cabinet, but of the whole of the Ulster people. They would not contemplate going under a Sinn Fein Government in the present circumstances. Ulster would be neither intimidated nor coerced. They were not blocking a settlement. Sinn Fein now had a week in which to say whether they would continue to work for a settlement, or whether the negotiations should be terminated. Sir James Craig said: "If Sinn Fein will show common-sense, and will begin with a small Parliament, as we have done, we are prepared to hold a round the table discussion* on matters vital to Ulster, enter into trade relations, and compete as to whether the North or the South shall produce the better Government." Replying to questions, Sir James said that the Ulster Cabinet, owing to the Sinn Fein outrages, had given authority for the enrolment of 5700 special constables. No matter what the cost, the Government was determined to protect life and property. Arrangements had been made with the English authorities to Bend additional troops to Ulster. MR LLOYD GEORGE PREPARED. NEW SCHEME PUT FORWARD. (Received November 80th, 7.55 p.m.) LONDON, November 29. Sir James Craig's statement in the Ulster Parliament did not surprise Downing Street. Mr Lloyd George, foreseeing the trend of events, had already prepared an alternative Bcheme. Directly Sir James Craig's speech was published, Mr Lloyd George called a meeting of the "big seven," and unfolded bis new scheme to Mr Austen Chamberlain, Lord Birkenhead, Mr Winston Churchill, Sir Gordon Hewart, Sir Hamar Greenwood, and Sir/ L. Worthington Evans. After an hour's discussion they called in the Sinn Fein delegation, including Mr Arthur Griffith, and Mr Michael Collins, with whom the discussion lasted two hourß. Later an official- announcement was made that the meeting had taken place. It is .understood that the new proposals will be handed to 'Sir James Craig well within the week mentioned in his speech,