THE IRISH TREATY.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17645, 23 December 1922, Page 13

THE IRISH TREATY.

STORY OF THE SIGNING. PEN PICTTJBE BY ME LLOYD GEORGE. The following article and all Mr Lloyd George's subsequent articles are copyright by the United Press Association in America, and all countries. They are copyright in Australasia by the Australian Press Association, and the copyright in Britain is held by the "Daily Chronicle." Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited. [By Cable—Preea Association—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received December 22nd, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 22. Mr Lloyd George's third article is devoted to the Irish Treaty, and is lotable chiefly for its pen portraits 3f those • figuring in Irish questions since Gladstone's Home Kule Bill nearly thirty years ago- . When the memMrs of the House of Commons were recently summoned to the House of Lords to hear the Royal Assent given to the Irish Free State Constitution Bill, Mr Llpyd George says two pictures flashed across his mind during the short procession. The first was that of Mr Gladstone delivering his great speech when introducing the Home Eule Bill. The second was that of the dreary December night just a year ago, when four of tho British representatives, and the five Irish leaders sat at a table in tho Cabinet Room in Downing Street. In ;hig simpie Council Chamber, where Pitt's Act of Union and many other trish measures had been 1 discussed, now same the final Treaty of Peace. Would t be signed 1 ,It was an anxious moment, charged with the destiny of the two great races who confronted each other. The climax of decision had boen reached. Britain had gone to the limit of concession. No British statesman could | have aoed any assembly of his countrymen lad he appended his signature to a Constitution placing Ireland outside he fraternity of free nations known as 'he British Empire, or freedi her from ■he • bonds of union represented by a lomtnon fealty to the Sovereign. "Would ■he Irish leaders have the courage to aake peace on the only conditions atainabie, namely, liberty within t'he SmpireP f Griffith and Collins. • Opposite me sat Arthur Griffith, the nost un-Imh leader that had,ever led Ireland. Quiet to the point of gentleio£B, reserved almost to a' point of ippearing saturnine, a man of laconio, itteranoe, ha answered in monosyllables vhere most men would have considered in oratorical deliverance was demanded by the dignity of the occasion. But we :'ound his yea meant yea, and his nay neantnav. He was asked whether he would sign. In, an abrupt staccato axannor lie replied: "Speaking 021 Ely awn b'ehalf, I mean to sign."' : By Griffith's side sat Michael Collins, >ne' of the most courageous leaders .ever, produced by. a valiant race. Neverth©-" ess, he hesitated painfully when -the juiet, gentle little figure on hia left had token his resolve. Both saw the ihadow of doom clouding over the fatal japer. They knew that the pen which affixed their signatures at the same noment signed their death warrants, ["he little mail saw, beyond his own fall, Preland rising out of her troubles a xeo nation. That'suffioad him. Collins Tas not appalled by the spectre of ieath, but had an Irishman's fear of the charge of having sucoumbed to an ilien Hvill and betrayed his country, tt was the first timd Collins had! ever showed fear—it waa also the last. j The Signing. I knew the reason why he halted, although he uttered no word revealing bis mind. I addressed my appeal to demonstrate how the Treaty gave Ireland more than O'Connell and Parnell had' evter hoped for, and that his country would, be ever grateful to him, not jnjy for the courage which had won such an offer, but for the wisdom that accepted-it. He asked for a few hours to consider, promising his reply by nine j'clock. Nine o'clock passed, and ten, and eleven, but the Irish leaders did not return. We doubted whether we should see them again. Then came a message announcing their return to Downing Street. When they entered, It was clear from their faces that they bad come to a great decision after a prolonged struggle. There were, howsver, difficulties of detail to be overcome, but, soon after one o'clock the Treaty was complete. Brskine Childers. Outside in the lobby sat the man who had: used all the resources of a wellbrained mind, backed by a tenacious will to wreck every endeavour to reach m agreement—Erskine Childers—the man whose kindly, refined, intellectual countenance, and whose calm, courteous demeanour oifered no clue to the ierce passions which raged in his breast. At every* critical point in the negotiations he had played a sinister part. He was clearly de Valera's emissary. Every draft that emanated from bis pen (and all the first drafts were (vritten by him) challenged every fundamental position to which the British lelegates were irrevocably committed. He was incapable of compromise. Brave and resolute he undoubtedly was, but, unhappily for himself, he"was also a rigid fanatic. When we left the room worn out with our tense anxious labour, lVe met Childers outside, sullen with lisappointment and suppressed wrath it what he conceived to be a surrender of the principles for which he fought. Poor Collins was shot by his own countrymen. Griffith diefl worn out by rnxiety and toil. Childers was shot at Jawn for rebellion against the liberties be had helped to win. Truly the path bo Irish freedom right up to the goal [a paved with tragedy: but the bloodstained wilderness is almost through, jnd the verdant plains of freedom stretch before the eyes of this tortured nation. ' (Continued at foot of next column,)

TRAIN WRECKERS IN IRELAND. \

EXPEESS DESTROYED. (Received December 22nd, 8.0 p.m.) LONDON, December 21. Rebel train-wreckers set ffre to the , Belfast-Dublin express near Dundalk. They compelled the passengers to alight, sprinkled the carriages with petrol, switched' the train down the line, and 6ent it full rpeed ahead. A Free State munitions train collided with the burning train, the engines and leading waggons of which were ■ overturned. The wreckers have out off all communication with Dublin. A large Christmas mail from Ulster to Britain was. destroyed with the express. It is reported that seven railwaymen and postal officers n;-? missing since the outrage.