IRISH PROBLEM

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 36, 11 August 1921, Page 7

IRISH PROBLEM

RELEASE OF PRISONERS

GOVERNMENT'S* ACTION DEFENDED

REPORTED OFFER TO DAIL

EIREANN,

(VNITI> rUBIB ASSOCIATION.—COMMSBT.)

(AI'tVIULUS . Hl* ZEALAND CAILI ASSOCIATION.)

(Received August 11, 11/ a.m.)

LONDON, 10th August. Lord Birkenhead, in the House of Lords, defended the releasing of members of the Dail Eireann. He believed that raider the circumstances the Government had ohosen the right oourse. If it had refused to enter into' negotiations, it would have been cpmrnitted to an indefinite 'period of continuance of military and police efforts; but on a far larger scale. No military commander would be bold enough to say what time, resource, men, and expenditure would be required to suppress a rebellion. This might still prove necessary, and if so the position to be confronted while such preparations were being made would be a continuance of the butchery of the police and Crown forces, adding to th« long legacy of. bitterness. The Government, therefore, would have done a wrong and indefensible thing if it had not negotiated when the Dail Eireann was prepared to>negotiate. (RBUm'B TELEGRAM^ LONDON, 10th August. It is reliably reported from Dublin that the terms Mr. Lloyd George offered Mr. de Valera include complete control by Ireland of the police and Irish taxation ; defence is to be controlled by the United Kingdom, subject to a mutual understanding with the Northern and. Southern Parliaments, with an offer of special facilities for recruitment for Irish regiments in the Imperial Army It is believed also that the proposals include one that Ireland should bear a proportionate share of the late war pensions.