IRISH PEACE TERMS

Wairarapa Age, 10 December 1921, Page 5

IRISH PEACE TERMS

(Press Association—Copyright.) London, Dec. 9.—De Valera, President of the Irish Republic, has rejected the peace terms. STATEMENT BY DE VALERA. CANNOT RECOMMEND ACCEPTANCE. (Received 5.5 p.m.) London, Dec. 9.—De Valera has issued the following statement to the Irish people:— The terms of the agreement are in violent conflict with the wishes of the majority of the Irish people as expressed freely at successive elections during the past three years. I feel it my duty to inform you immediately that I cannot recommend acceptance of this treaty cither to the Dail Eireann or to the country. In this attitude I am supported by the Ministers for Home Affairs and Defence. A public session of Dail Eireann has been summoned for Wednesday. I asfc the people to maintain during the interval the same discipline as hitherto. The Cabinet, though divided, is prepared to carry on public services. The army is not affected by the political situation. The great test of our people has come. Let us face it worthily, without recrimination. The manifesto is the sequel to a Cabinet meeting, which lasted seven hours. The actual position is uncertain. It is possible that de Valera and the other two Ministers will resign, leaving the remainder of the Cabinet to carry out the treaty. The Minister of Defence in Dail Eireann executive is Cathal Burgha, and the Home Minister is Austin Stack. It is reported that at the Cabinet meeting Messrs Griffiths, Barton, Cosgrove, and Collins voted for acceptance of the terms.—(A. and N.Z.)

FRENCH PRESIDENT’S CONGRATULATIONS. (Received 5.5 p.m.) London, Dec. 9.— NT. Millerand (President of France) telegraphed to the King: 44 Heartiest congratulations on the settlement concerning Ireland. The whole of France shares the joy in the happy event, which has ended the cruel difficulties.” M. Millerand also congratulated the King on his personal services in the matter. The King replied: 44 1 am deeply moved by your kind thoughts and thank you in the name of the whole British Empire.”—(A. and N.Z.) WHAT ULSTER DEMANDS.

(Received 5.5 p.m.) London, Dec. B.—Sir James Craig arrives in London early to-morrow, and is expected to see Mr Lloyd George immediately and insist upon the necessity of Ulster having the same powers of taxation as the Irish Free State. — (A. and N.Z.)

ULSTER’S FINANCE. (Received 5.5 p.m.) London, Dec. 9.—Mr Barbour, Ulster Minister of Finance, to-day reviewed finance in the Northern Parliament. He said the revenue for the current year would be £15,000,000, instead of £16,500,000 estimated, while the expenditure had increased to £14,900,000 compared with the estimated £13,850, 000. Fortunately, he had prepared his budget to secure a surplus of £3,650,000 available to meet the adverse, charge of £2,550,000. —(A. and N.Z.) REBELLION COULD HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED. (Received 5.5 p-.m.) London, Dec. 9.—Mr Stanley Baldwin, President of the Board of Trade, speaking at Kentishtown, said that extreme Tory opinion that the Government would not have surrendered but for lawlessness and murder, was quite erroneous. The rebellion could have been suppressed more easily than was commonly supposed, but it wojild have entailed war and bloodshed. The effect on the world and on the Washington Conference would have been disastrous if a final attempet had not been made to find a peaceful solution. —(A. and N.Z.)

LLOYD GEORGE’S TRIBUTE. TO CONSERVATIVE COLLEAGUES. (Received 7.30 p.fri.) London, Dec. 9.—Mr Lloyd George sent a message to a Coalition Liberal dinner at the Manchester Reform Club, saying: 4 4 Tell my Liberal friends that despite discouragements and criticisms I am still doing my best, in the way which appears to me to be most practicable, to secure for our beloved country the blessings of real peace. I am sure the Manchester Liberals will not grudge expressing appreciation and gratitude to my Conservative colleagues, whose conspicuous patriotism made it possible for a Liberal Prime Minister, acting for no party but in

REJECTED BY DE VALERA SPLIT IN SINN FEIN CABINET DE VVALERA MAY RESIGN

the interests of the nation, to make ] Ireland this great offer of reconciliation, which, we all pray will re-estab-dish lasting’ peace.”—(A. and N.Z.) GRIFFITH’S DECLARATION. ‘ 4 WHAT I SIGNED I WILL STAND x BY.” (Received 7.30 p.m.) London, Dec. 9.—Mr Griffiths, in a manifesto, says: — 44 1 signed the treaty between Ireland and Britain in the belief that it would lay the foundation of peace and friendship between the two nations. What I signed I shall stand by. I believe that the end of the conflict of centuries is at hand.” — (A. and N.Z.) DE VALERA’S BOMBSHELL. STARTLES LONDON. (Received 11.26 p.m.) London, Dee. 9.—De Valerals bombshell burst upon London during the early hours of the morning. Such a dramatic development was not expected. Ireland and Irish affairs had faded temporarily from the official picture, Anglo-French relations and the question of reparations taking their place. Nobody was present in official quarters to deal with the new crisis, the announcement of which reached the newspapers direct from Dublin.—(A. and N.Z.)

DAIL EIREANN PROPAGANDA. FOR COMPLETE SEPARATION. London, Dec. B.—Mr Art O’Brien, the representative of the Dail Eireann in Great Britain, in a letter to the Irish Self-Determination League, warns the Irish people against premature rejoicing. Under a threat of renewed and intensified warfare five Irishmen have been compelled to sign their names to a document. That is not a cause for rejoicing. The people in Ireland should receive the news in dignified silence. The document is but another milestone on the long road to Irish freedom, but it is not the goal. The English people have cause to rejoice; they have won another round. (Received 11.20 p.m.)

London, Dec. 9.—The Australian Press Association understands that there is the gravest reason to suspect that Mr Art O’Brien is pulling the strings against any settlement which does not mean separation. It is well known he has strong supporters, including many of the younger Irish Catholic priests, who are directing the propaganda among young men, including English Catholics, in their parishes. At the same time, there is no doubt that the great bulk of the Irish in this country desire peace and welcomed the terms. Advices from Ireland indicate that there is a similar attitude amongst the rank and file of the people. The prompt release of 5060 prisoners is regarded everywhere as evidence of British, good faith.—(A. and N.Z.)

IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. TE DEUM SUNG TO-MORROW. By instructions from Archbishop Redwood a Te Deum will be sung in all the Roman Catholic churches in the Archdiocese on .Sunday as a thanksgiving for the settlement of the Irish problem. Speaking at the prize-giving at St. Patrick’s College His Grace said:— i^ 4 We are all rejoicing at the wonderful manner in which the Irish settlement has been brought about. I consider myself a happy man to have lived to see Ireland obtain the liberty withheld from her for centuries and centuries. I have always been af work in favour of the Irish cause.” He added that he had never dreamt

to see the day when Ireland would obtain entirely and fully what was her right. He considered the settlement was the turning point in the history of England. He hoped that Ireland, blessed by God, would be now able to realise her high ideals. She had previously been cramped and prevented from achieving her high ideals; but the sun of happiness was dawning. “I always told you I was a Sinn Feiner, ” said the Archbishop, amidst applause. “I always said that Sinn Fein would win, and Sinn Fein has won. It was winning all the time.”