IRISH PEACE TREATY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18465, 28 January 1922, Page 18

IRISH PEACE TREATY

STORY OF THE TENSE STRUGGLE. HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED. MR LLOYD GEORGE “AMONG THE IMMORTALS.” (From Oob Own Correspondent.) LONDON, December 13. “I speak from a full heart when I pray, that my coming to Ireland to-day may prove to bo the first step towards an end of strife amongst her people, whatever their race or creed.” These words, spoken by the King when he opened the Northern Parliament on June 22, were really the beginning of the Irish negotiations that have culminated in 'the historic agreement which, it is hoped, will put an end to an age-long feud. On Juno 24 they Prime Minister sent a message to t£n King, in which he promised that “iw’ efforts shall be lacking on tho part of your Ministers to bring Northern and Southern Ireland together in recognition of a common Irish responsibility,” and that very; night couriers loft for Dublin and Belfast proposing a conference in London. On July 14 Mr do Valera came to London and had a long interview with the Prime Minister, in which he continued to assert his fundamental claim to independence and self-determination. He then_ returned to Ireland. On July 20 the British Government made its offer pf dominion status to Ireland, in terms the generosity of which surprised and delighted the friends of this country throughout- tho world. Throughout the whole of August a long-range duel was kept up. ( The Government wanted a conference which, the Irish representatives would enter _ as members belonging to a nation enjoying “free, equal, and loyal partnership in the British Commonwealth under one s Sovereign.” Mr de Valera, on the other hand, rejected all such antecedent conditions _ After interminable correspondence, which, must have tried the patience of a man less determined than Mr Lloyd George, the conference mot in London on October 10. More than once since that time the negotiations have been on tho point of an utter breakdown, and even the day before the final agreement one Londpti newspaper likened the 'conference “to a patient who was beihg kept alive, to the comfort neither of his friends nor of himself, upon oxygen and champagne.” At the very moment when the words appeared in print the patient was taking up his sed in readiness to walk. “HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LUTE." “This has been the happiest day of my Hfe; an age-old problem is solved.” Such are sajcl to have been the first words of the Prime Minister_ when tho Irish Agreement was signed in the early _ hours of December 6, 1921, in the Cabinet room at No. 10 Downing street. _ Mr Lloyd George showed a patience which has certainly never been, excelled by any negotiator in discussing and adjusting the clauses one by one, and he was nobly supported by his colleagues. It was just ns tho hand of the clock moved to 2.16 a.m. that the cage rly-awaited agreement was arrived at. The Prime Minister had given an undertaking regarding a small adjustment in the., terms, and Mr A. Griffith replied: “With that, Mr Lloyd George, we are satisfied; Wo, will sign.” It was a tense moment when the allimportant document was placed before the Prime Minister for his signature, and as ho smilingly looked across to Mr Collins arid Mr Griffith their stern features relaxed, and they returnpd the smile. Mr ■ Lloyd George signed the document, and passed-' it on to his colleague. Lord Birkenhead. Then Mr Winston Churchill signed. Afterwards Mr Griffith, a s head of the -Sinn Fein delegation, added his signature, followed by Mr Collins and Mr Barton. When tho signing was finished the Prime' Minister stretched out his hayds and, clasped those of Mr Griffith ana Mr Collins. '“The dawn of a now era for Ireland and for. Grealt Brittain,” he said. As Westminster chimed 2.30 tho Irish delegates left the Prime Minister’s residence to wire the news to Mr de Valera. Mr Lloyd George again took up the‘pen in order to send the glad tidings to the King af Sandringham, and the message "went off at 3 a,m. DESTROYER’S DASH FOR BELFAST. To Mr G. H. Shakespeare, the Prime Minister’s youngest secretary, the peace agreement with Ireland will always remain a romantic memory. He received orders early on the Monday evening that his services might be wanted very late, but it was not until 2.35 a.m. on Tuesday, when he was beginning to feel drowsy and was enjoying a cup of tea in an ante-room at 10 Downing street, that ho received v a message that he was at onco by his chief. Immediately answering the call, ho was handed a big envelope and told to go at once to Belfast. Tne_ envelope contained the terms of the _ Irish peace settlement for Sir James Craig, the Northern Irish Premier. It was handed to him by Mr Lloyd George with a smile of satisfaction, and a wish of “Good luck on tho journey.” At midnight a message had been telephoned to the night staff at Easton station: “ Have special ready to proceed to Holyhead at short notice.” A short train, with one, of tho big locomotives of the London and North-Western Railway, was made up and was kept in a siding with steam up. At 2.40 a.m. another message was received at tho station that the messenger who ! was to use the train was on hie way and would be along within a few minutes. The import of this little early special was not lost on the station staff, and it was with no little excitement that the message was sent from signal-box to signal-box along the route: } “Clear line for Holyhead special.”^ Mr Shakespeare, in the meantime, was racing to Euston in a motor car, the journey -from Downing street taking .exactly nine minutes. No time was wasted on the station. An official met the car, took Mr Shakespeare to his coach, wished him good luck, and signalled “Right away,” and the' special steamed out on its journey. Five hours and 45 ipinutes was the estimated time for the run. It was achieved in five hemra 36 minutes. While the train

was steaming north a wireless message had been sent to , a .destroyer to, watt alongside at Holyhead to pick up Mr Shakespeare. As soon as the train arrived he embarked in a naval pinnare find transferred at sea to the 35-knot destroyer fcjalmon. Her speed on the 150 miles journey to Belfast was approximately 30 miles an hour. DUBLIN WAITING. How the first news of a settlement was received in Dublin is told by a press 'correspondent there. "The good news,” ne writes, "seems to have stunned Dublin. The.!;.capital. - city ot the new Iri|h Tree Ist ato is too astonished to express I '' herselt. Perhaps because the citizens ieared uic worst, and cannot yet bring themselves to believe that strife is at an end, they have given no outward and visible sign of their deep relief that common sense and goodwill have tiiiumphed in the conference cliamber. There naa been no demonstration, no flags, no bell-ringing, and, as -far as one could see, the people are awaiting the signal to show their juibiation. When 1 expressed surprise that the city was not given over to cheering crowds, a prominent Burn Feiner told me that people had had their show on the declaration of the truce, when bonfires ; were lighted -throughout the capital and crowds danced in the streets all night. That the people will, respond heartily to the goodwill shown in Downing street there is little doubt. , "A brief conversation' I had at tlhe Mansion House is symptomatic. There, at the headquarters of the Dail Ministry within the last few days 1 have heard nothing but stories of British oppression, the failure to keep pledged words, and the total disregard of all we fought for in the war. That tone had disappeared ■ to-day—let us hope for ever—and in place of a recital of British ‘Crimes,’ I Wan told the two peoples would henceforth be friends. The Sinn Feiner said, ‘We are a never-for-getting but an always-forgiving people, and you will find wo’ can love as strongly as wo can’hate.’ And-now at this centre ot Irish nationality the most earnest desire is expressed to get to work. The task of the leaders is about to begin, and they want, to set about it with a will,” • , AN IRISH VIEWPOINT, - Ihjßta article in the Manchester Guardian Mr Michael Collins deals with the reaction of thp recognition of Ireland’s claim to independence upon the nations of the British Commonwealth and on the world. He writes: “The only association which it will bo satisfactory to, Ireland to Great Britain and to the dominions for Ireland to enter will be one based, not on the present technical , legal status. of the dominions, but pn the real position,,which they claim, and have in fact secured. In the interest of all the associated States, in the interest, above all, of England hersolf, it is essential that the present do facto position should bo recognised de jure, and that all its implications as regards sovereignty, allegiance, constitutional independence of the Governments, should be acknowledged. An association on the foregoing conditions would be a novelty in the world. But the world is looking for such a development, and it is necessary, if the old world of internecine conflict is to emerge info the new world of co-operative harmony. Britain has now the opportunity to lay the foundations of such a new world order in the relations to be. established between the nations of the British Commonwealth. In such an order there would be no inequality of status. Oaths of allegiance from one nation to another would become meaningless, and would bo quite unnecessary where there would be real allegiance of all to the common interests. General Smuts has given warning that South Africa will bo restive in any association which is not a League of Free Nations. The colonies can only- be kept if they are themselves on a free and equal footing, and if such a footing is also conceded to Ireland as a free partner in the group. If Ireland were free, all the component nations of the ’ group would bo bound more firmly together.” LONDON COMMENTS. During' the negotiations tho leading London journals hove for the most part faithfully refrained from embarrassing the members of the conference, and it was only when matters in regard to Ulster became serious that they gave expression to forceful opinions. ; The Morning Post alone has kept op a serious opposition to what it terms a compromise with the rebels, and now fiat peace seems in sight it is exceedingly guarded in its expression of satisfaction and is outspoken in pointing out the many dangers that remain. To visualise possible difficulties is an easy matter and to distrust the-good faith of the Sinn Peine-rs can do no ■ possible■ good at the present juncture -The Morning Post therefore is the single exception amongst the newspapers of standing which rejoice whole-heartedly at .tho good news.