New-York tribune., 1919-03-23
Asserts Continuance of Dis
pute Means False Issues
i'm Politics and Disturb
ance in Foreign Policy
Leader Sails for Britain
Declares Peace Must Bring
Settlement of Erin's Prob
lem; Finds Support Here


Sir Horace Plunkett. who left yester-
day for the British isles after seven
weeks in this country, devoted large!y Y
to studying American sentiment toward
his native land, said he found Ameri-
can opinion quite definite" in this re-
gard.
He reported Americans "united as
l. never before in the forty eight years
/ i have been coming to this country in
a desire to see full justice done TO the
national aspirations of Ireland"
II 1T is not eliminated the Irish diff
1culty, Sir Horace asserted, would CON
tinue to disturb domestic politics in
the United States, raising false issues
and Threatening to become a serious
embarrassment in your foreign policy"
Sir Horace's statement follows:
"Americans are united as never be-
fore in the forty years | have been
coming to this country in a desire
to see full justice done to the national
aspirations of Ireland. They want the
difficulty out Of the way, both on ac-
count of the vital principles involved
and the immense number of your citi-
zens of Irish birth and blood. That
question will, if not settled, continue
to disturb your domestic politics,
where it. raises false issues and threat
ems to become "a serious emharrass-
ment in your foreign policy. | have
been assured over and over again that
nothing else i'll all the peace prob
lens of the Allies touches America so
closely morally and politically.
II have been constantly asked my
opinion as to what in these circum-
stances ought to be done. would not
help toward q settlement in Ireland
and nowhere else can satisfactory set
tlement be reachedif / were to set
out the terms of the solution | should
personally prefer. Moreover, there
have been political changes in Great
Britain since | left which may have
to be taken into account. SO far as
can Judge at this distance, the situa-
tion there is growing ripe for a final
effort to solve the problem.
My inquiries in America have re-
lated rather to the urgency than to the
manner of settlement. OF this | am
certain, the solution will be greatly
slmplified if the unanmity which |
have observed in this country is main
tanned. Whatever the President NAV
or may not see fit to do or say in Paris
| feel that the moral sense of the
American people must be satisfied and
their politics and policies freed from
false issues and embarrassment arising
from the actual state of Ireland.
~ am glad to find that on one vital
point American opinion seems quite
definite. The plans for the partition
Of Ireland which from time to time
find favor at Westminster would no
more satisfy American opinion than
they would be tolerated by the sent-
ment of Ireland. There may be many
solutions of the Irish question, but
there is only ohe Ireland.
"When the Irish. people come to-
gether, not to talk over but to work
out united Ireland, they will be faced
as is every other modern country, with
the problem of holding the balance even
between the agricultural and indus
trial interests. In this task. the full
tilment of which will dispose of the
so..called Ulster difficulty, American
opinion, sympathy and advice will all
be helpful.
"The war should have brought, peace
must bring, an Irish settlement. That
is the message | would leave behind
and take home" :