IRELAND

Southland Times, Issue 19366, 25 October 1921, Page 5

IRELAND

DE VALERA’S TELEGRAM SINN FEIN REPUDIATION UNLIKELY THE ESSENTIALS OF PEACE. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, October 23. (Received October 24, 9.5 p.m.) Mr J. R. Clynes, M.P., speaking at Wolverhampton on the Irish Conference, said that the three conditions desired by all were unity of understanding and spirit between the north and south of Ireland, the freedom of Ireland on the basis of giving the people the sole right to determine all purely Irish affairs, and recognition of Irish nationhood within the great family of nations in the Empire. He was satisfied that these conditions could be established and fulfilled consistent with sincere recognition of the Throne as the link which bound all these peoples within the Empire. If no settlement were reached the alternative would be perpetual war between North and South and between Ireland and this country. Sinn Fein is unlikely publicly to repudiate De Valera’s telegram to the Pope. It is pointed out in Dublin that it is unlikely that De Valera despatched the telegram without the approval of his colleagues. Collins is returning to London without finding a formula which would surmount the difficulty. The Sinn Feiners resumed their activity in County Monaghan, commandeering Colonel Tennyson’s mansion at Ballybay for an officers’ training school. THE QUESTION AT ISSUE. (The Times.) LONDON, October 24. The Times in a leader points out that the real question at issue at the conference is whether the Sinn Feiners’ leaders desire association with the. British Empire under the Imperial Crown. Should it fail to agree as regards terms of settlement it could and should agree at least upon a dear definition as to what the British offer to Ireland really is and upon consultation of the people of southern Ireland by means of a referendum before the offer is held to be finally rejected. A SINN FEfN DEMONSTRATION. ANNIVERSARY OF McSWINEY’S DEATH. k LONDON, October 23. A demonstration was held in Trafalgar Square to celebrate the anniversary of the death of McSwiney, formerly Lord Mayor of Cork, in Brixton Prison. Irish from all parts of the city marched to the Square with a striking display of Sinn Fein colours. Mr Kelly, president of the Irish Self-De-termination League, said the English press seemed to be in a state of terror over De Valera’s telegram to the Pope. All De Valera said was what he had been telling the world for the last four or five years. What the Conlference had to discuss was whether Irish separation could be reconciled with the commonwealth of nations known as the British Empire. If it ’ could not discover that, then the Conference would have failed.