The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-17

least show progress. They enable
us more clearly to disentangle what
important things have been agreed
on from the important things that
are still at issue.
The Dali Eireann meets In Dub
lin today. Far-reaching consequences,
OF course. will follow from the mood
of It's members. They will inevitably
be disappointed and angered by some
of the things said by Lloyd George
In behalf of the empire, and by Sir
James Craig In behalf of Ulster.
But on the other hand they have
every reason to be encouraged with
the position In which negotiations
now are. While the armistice Is on,
and while fundamental conditions are
being calmly and fully discussed. the
Irish cause cannot help making cease-
less gains.
English Waking Up.
This situation, of peaceable discus
sion after civil war. has the immeas-
urably important effect of waking up
the liberal elements In England. en-
abling them to hear all sides, increas-
ing their distrust of the present cabt-
net and the present Parliament.
II the situation In England were
normal. the cabinet would have fallen
has made of its attempt to deal with
Ireland. Britain. like most of the VIC
torious countries In the later war. has
suffered morally and intellectually
from her victory.
One result is to leave her with the
most incompetent and least reprcsen-
tative Parliament she has had in mod.
ern times. Parliament composed
largely OF the type OF men who will
support the government in order TO
hold their own offices, no matter how
incompetently or wickedly the govern
ment may behave.
Even on such an inferior Pariia-
ment, however, public opinion, II nc
tive. can make itself felt. The more
liberal opinion in England had been
largely quiescent about Ireland.
through ignorance and through fears
increased by the ready lies of the
prime minister and his agents. 1t is
now having a chance to wake UP.
Premier's Talk Silly.
De Valera has admitted significant
principle when he comedies that force
Is not the right answer OF South Irc-
land to Ulster. That admission Is one
OF the points at which quiet pressure
may yet lead long way.
Lloyd George will have to concede
much more than he has conceded
yet. His talk about economics Is
pretty nearly imbecile. It is kept
from being imbecile only by being
completely insincere. When he tries
to scare England with the picture
Of an Ireland flourishing in success
full competition because of low taxes
at the same time that her small
population keeps up big navy and
the largest army proportionately in
the world, he knows as we'll as any
one else that he is talking nonsense.
But nonsense is one OF hts weapons.
In the economic field ne will have
to yield everything, except some
trifling arrangement about the ma
tional debt. In regard 70 such as
poets of national safety as aviation,
for instance, there Is still room for
good trading, as there is in the rela-
tons between Ulster and Great
Britain.
Famous Irishman's View.
Among the men whom I know FER
sonally In Ireland the most brilliant
is George Russell, famous eve,y-
whereas "A. F." In the September
issue of Pearson's Magazine, "A. e."
has characteristic article putting
the whole controversy on a high
level
From his admirable and sometimes
beautiful essay there energies at the
end the same point that is put first
in Importance in De Valera's last
statement. Ireland must decide for
herself. She cannot admit that she