NEW IRISH PROPOSALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17956, 5 December 1921, Page 7

NEW IRISH PROPOSALS.

-o NIGHT OF STRENUOUS DEBATE THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE. A. and N.Z. LONDON, Dec 2. Last night was the most strenuous since Irish negotiations opened. Mr. Lloyd George's alternative scheme was submitted to the Sinn Fein negotiators at 6.30 p.m:, but in consequence of amendments suggested by the Sinn Feiners the conference lasted on and off till early morning. Mr. Duggan and Mr. Gavin Duffy took the final draft to Dublin to-day, Mr. Arthur Griffiths and Mr. Michael Collins following. The reply of the Dai! Eireann is expected on Monday. If the proposals be rejected they will not be submitted to Ulskr. The Manchester Guardian's well-in-formed writer " Politicus " declares that.^, the negotiations are in danger of collapS- '... ing mainly on the question of personal allegiance, the Sinn Feiners contending that the oath ought to be to tho Irish Constitution. Irishmen unfortunately imagine that the oath of allegiance to ■ Britain implies the right of interference 4 in Ireland's domestic life and 6tamps the country as a daughter instead of a sister State, though such scruples appear pedantic. The uniformity of\ the oath the Empire does not entail Imperial ference in the Dominions. Neverthelesa, the oath-is a conscientious obstacle. Ireland is willing to associate with Britain on terms securing Britain's safety. "We • are in danger of making the form of the allegiance oath a capital issue, when 1 it really is unimportant," "concludes the writer. , ' ' ; % ATTITUDE 6F LABOUR. NO SYMPATHY FOR ULSTER. Australian and N:Z. Cable Association. (Becd. 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 3. Speaking .at the London Labour' Fair Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, the Labouif leader, said-that Bolshevism meant- & section of the community, believing itself right, declining to submit to the majority. He challenged the Coalition Unionists \p .» y declare plainly whether they would support' an Irish policy formulated, by the Cabinet, Parliament, and the majority of the people or would they support Ulster if she repudiated that policy.. ; ...-.'.-,.: Mr. Arthur Henderson, M.P., said if the Ulster people entertained a dream that the South of Ireland was to be dragooned and coerced back to violence and bloodshed because Ulster could not obtain its own particular form of settlement, they wero deluding themselves. Labour would resolutely oppose such wickedness. ReSUinntion of the war would outrage the whole nation's moral conscience, and. would be viewed with the deepest detestation. Ulster, like Sinn Fein, must make concessions.