IRISH TREATY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 23 December 1922, Page 5

IRISH TREATY

STORY UF CONFERENCE

MEMOR A BLE OAT MERINO AT DOWNING STREET AN ANXIOUS TIME MR LLOYD GEORGE’S REN PORTRAITS ,"ITi(> following and ail 'Mr Lloyd I GeorgvT articles ace copyright hy l lie I 'Ant'd I’rc-s-- AiStieiai uni in Americ.i ,-iml all count new, ami copyright in Aiistral.isO bv (In Australian Bre s ' i‘npyi'igiii. and in Britain by the Daily Chronicle. Roprodiu lion m full or jiarl prohibii cl.) (i!y Die- ra; Triegrt-pn.- Co|>v cgi.i:. i (Australian A N,Z. taVAti LONDON. 1 Jim-. 22. Mi 1 Lloyd George's tided article is | devoted to the Irisli Treaty, and i: is ! mil a)iie chiefly for the pen port rails of 1 those figuring in Irish qncsi ions si nee i Gladstone's Home Rule Bill ma r thirty j wars ago. \Vhen the Commons were ! i'eeeidly summoned to the Meuse id Lords to hear the 1 toy;si assent to the Irish ( ‘oust it id ion Bid. M r Lloyd Georg l says two pictures Hashed across h:s mind during the short proeession to tic Lords--Kir.‘.tlv. Gladstones great speech when introducing the Home little Dili: secondly, liiat of (lie dreary December night just a year ago when four Briitish representatives and lire Irish leao ! (l r.s sat at a table in the Cabinet room I in Downing street, in the simple eoun eii (handlers w/iere (’ill’s Art of Union end main 4 other Irish ineii.-mres had been discussed. Now ea.nie tin- final I maty of peace. Would it he aimed 7 I It was an aiiMoiis moment. charged [with Ihe destiny ot two great races who com rented each oilier. lin chili. of decision had lieen ri'iiehed. Britain had gone (o the limit, of ( "iir.essioii. No -British statesman could have laced anv assembly of ills count rynu ll had lie' appended' his signature to a const iInlion placing Ireland outside the Iralernity 'of free nations known as the British Empire, or freed her from the bonds, (if union renrescnled hy common feallv to the Sovereign, Would the Irish' leaders have the courage to_ make peace on the only condition attainable, namely, liberty ‘within the Empire. Opposite me sat Mr Ovilitlis, the most able Irish loader that ever led Ireland — quiet, to the point gentle, reserved almost to the point of appearing saturnine. A man of laconic .utterance he answered in monosyllables where most men would have considered an oratorical deliverance demanded by the dignity of illo occasion. But we found bis yea meant yea and his nay meant nay. He wars asked whether he would sign. In an abrupt .staccato manner he replied; “Speaking on my own behalf T mean to sign.” By Mr Griffiths's side sal Michael Collins, one of the most courageous leaders ever produced by the valiant race. Nevertheless lie hesitated painfully. When the quiet, gentle Title figure on his left had taken his resnIne. both saw the shadow of doom clouding over the fatal paper. They knew that the pen which affixed their signature at (he same moment signed their death warrant. The little man saw beyond his own fall Ireland rising nut of her troubles, a free nation. That sufficed him. M” Collins was not ,vppalled by the spectre of death, but had the Irishman’s fear of a charge of hawing succumbed to nT<m will and betrayed. hE country. It was the first time Mr Collins ever showed fear. It w-m ;.lc,) t bp last. T knew the reason why he halted, although he uttered uo 'word revealing his mind. I addressed .my appeal to demonslrate how the treaty gave Ireland more than O’Connell and Parnell ever hoped for, that Ill's connlrv would he ever grateful to him not only for the courage which won such an offer, but, for the wisdom that accepted it. He .asked a few hours to consider. 7.lmm ising a, reply hy nine o'clock. Nine passed, and eleven, but the leaders did not return. We doubled whether wo should sec thorn again. 1 Thou came a message of their return to 'Downing Street. When they (uttered it was clear from their faces that they had come to a great decision after a prolonged struggle. There were, however, difficulties of detail to bo overcome. hut soon after one oV'ack the Treaty was complete. Outside in the lobby sat a man who used all Ids resources and well trained mind, backed by tenacious will, to wreck every endeavour to reach an agreement. Erskiue Childers, a mas whose kindly, refined, and intellectual countenance, whose calm and courtotia demeanour offered no clue to the fierce passions which raged in his breast. At every critical point of the negotiations he played a sinister part. Ho was clearly do Valera’s emissary. Every draft that emanated' fruit Ids pen (and all the first drafts were written by him) challenged every fundamental position to which the British delegates were irrevocably committed. Ho was incapable of compromise. Brave and resolute he undoubtedly was, hut. unhappily for himself he was also a rigid fanatic. When we left the room, worn with tense and anxious labour, we met Childers outside, sullen with disappointment and compressed wrath at what he conceived to be the surrender of (he principles for which he fottghl. Boor Collins wars shot, b\ his own countrymen and Griffiths died worn out by anxiety and toil Childers was .shot at dawn for rebellion against the liberties ho helped to win. Truly the path of Irish freedom right up to the goal is paved with tragedy, but the bloodstained wi!d n nie.->.°-is almost Ih rough and the verdant plains, of freedom stretch before the eyes of (his tortured nation.