APPEAL BY GENERAL SMUTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 15 August 1921, Page 5

APPEAL BY GENERAL SMUTS.

TO t>E VALERA.

3TC \JABIiH— PEEB3 ASSOCIATION—COPYEIGHT LONDON, Aug. 14. VreßC^al Smuts, before sailing for _JlK»ni«^ wrote, to De Valera as follows; "*•! l»ve done my best to arrange a meeting between you and Sir James Oaig, and while he is willing to meet -ye* in conference with Mr Lloyd Hjteorge he still remains unwilling to taeet you in his absence. Nothing I "was able to do or say mored him from that attitude. If you request a meeting he will reply saying that Ulster will not be moved from the constitutional position she occupies under the «xisting legislation; she is satisfied with her present status, and will not «gree to any change. On the other hand, in your letter you insist on Ul«ter. coming into a united Ireland constitution, and that until that is done ao further progress can be made. There is therefore an impasse, which .1 do not know how to get over. "Both you and Sir James Craig are equally immovable forces, and as the f solution of. the problem is out of the question both on your and his premises, the process of arriving at an agreement will therefore take time My conviction is that for the present no solution based on Ulster's entering ■an Irish State can succeed; any solu- i tion on those lines will be foredoomed -to failure. I believe it would be in Ulster's interest to come in, and that the force of the community over a period of years would prove compelling *ut at present an Irish settlement is «nly possible if Ulster is left alone jMy strong advice to you is to leave p-ver-'alone and concentrate on a constitution for the remaining counties » *nd^by the successful running of an Irish State eventually bring Ulster jri. _ "Ireland is travelling the same,painful _road as South Africa, but with wisdom and moderation she is destined •to success and freedom, which will lead inevitably to unity. As to that freedom you are called to choose between two alternatives. You say a Tepublic is the^true expression of national self-determination. The British Prime Minister made an offer of another 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. 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 complete ■Dominion status- to twenty-six counties, subject to certain strategic safeguards, which you are asked to agree ta voluntarily as a free Dominion, and which we South Africans .agreed to -£?• mv,s?ind 3 such an offer by the Prime Minister, who, unlike his predecessor, is m a position to deliver the goods, is an event of unique importance. It is far more than was offered Transvaal and Orange State; they accepted a far less generous -offer, and *rom it improved their position until fcouth Africa became a happy, contented and 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 ~^u rightsas tf they were their own, ffinsO would view any invasion or violation of your ptatus as if it were their ■own, and who would give you most effective guarantees against any arbitrary interference by the British Gov- , «rnment. ; "I am satisfied that from a constitu- ' Jaonal point of, view a settlement of j»he Irißh question is now possible and 1 T>racticat bTe. It is the human difficulty which remains; it is mow mostly . a human pToblem. It would be the .gravest reflection on our statesmanship if this auspicious moment was to be allowed fto..pass. You and your friends have, a unique opportunity, such as Parnell and his predecessors Tiever had, to secure -a lasting peace. I pray to God that you may be wisely /guided, and-that peace will be concluded before the tempers change and ; generation of strife ensues."