New-York tribune., 1921-04-20
to Memorial of
Bishops, He Declares
Britain Will Fight to
Preserve the Kingdom
Like1ls England to
North i'm Civil War
Assails Sinn Fein Lead
ers as Real Obstacle to
Peace; Defends Military

LONOON, April ~ (by Inc ASSO-
ciated Press).-The Prime Minister de-
fends the governments policy in Ire
land and cites the American Civil War
as providing an exact parallel for the
situation there, involving the runda-
mental issue of union or secession, in
his reply made to-day to the recent
memorial sent him by nine Anglican
bishops and the heads of the principal
Nonconformist churches in Great
Britain.
In this memorial the signers in
dorsed the Archbishop Of Canterbury's
protest in the House Of Lords against
reprisals in Ireland and pleaded for q
truce. Among other things the me-
mortal declared that the governments
policy in Ireland exposed Great Britain
to misunderstanding and hostile criti-
cism, even of the friendliest OF the
worlds nations"
Mr.. Lloyd George in his letter of
reply declared:
CAT the outbreak of the American
struggle nearly every one in these
islands sympathized with the South.
Even Gladstone took this view, and only
John Bright, the famous English states
man, did not waver in his adherence to
Lincoln's cause. That war lasted four
much devastation and ruin. There was
more destruction OF property IN a
single Confederate county than has
been caused by all the so-called re-
prisals throughout Ireland.
Struggle Against Secession
"Lincoln rejected truce and compro-
mise, as he often said he was fighting
for the Union and meant to save it,
even if he could only do SO at the price
OF retaining slavery in the South. Is
there man or woman to-day who does
not admit that the North was right
and who does not see the calamitous
result which would have followed the
breaking UP of the American Union ?
doubt If there is y responsible man
in the Southern states to-day, however
much he admires' great figures like
jackson and Lee, who is not glad that
the Union was preserved, even at that
terrible cost.
is not our policy exactly the same ?
1t is, by reason Of the contiguity of
the two islands and their strategic and
economic interdependence, to fight Sc
cession and to. maintain the funda
mental unity of our ancient kingdom
Of many nations. I believe our IDEAL
of combining unity with home rule is n
finer and nobler ideal than excessive
nationalism, which, will have nothing
less than isolation-which is the Sim
Fein creed, and which, if it had full
play, would Balkanize the world"
The Prime Minister declares he does
not see how he can pursue a different
line, as "thc directing minds of the
Sim Fein who control the Irish repub-
lican Army-the real obstacle to peace
believe they can ultimately win a re-
public by continuing to fight as they
are fighting to-day, and are resolutely
opposed to a compromise"
Irish Must Make Concessions
Mr.. Lloyd George continues:
$50 long as the leaders of the Sim
Fein stand in this position and receive
the support Of their countrymen a set
tlement is, in my judgment, impossible
The government of which / am the
head will never give way upon the
fundamental question of secession.
~ believe nothing would more rapidly
promote peace than that the signers Of
tHc IueHOIIdl, ana tHOSe thinking with
them, should make it clear to Irish
opinion that the Irishscan never attain
their ends by a resort to crime; that
secession is impossible and that if they
are to have peace they must be willing
to concede the Ulstermen the same
rights they claim for themselves"
The letter declares there are no sir
regular forces of the CROWN 1t points
out that the auxiliaries did not come
into effective operation until more than
one hundred policemen had been MUIR
dered, for which crimes no murderer
had been executed, largely because of
the intimidation of witnesses, "although
many of these murders were commit
ted in the open streets in the :. resence
of -participatory, if unprotesting
passersby."
Exceptional Powers Necessary
"Can it be contended," Mr.. Lloyd
George asks, chat when a rebel or
ganlzation set to work to achieve its
ends by deliberate and calculated muir
der Of the members of the police force
80 per cent of whom were Irish and 81
(Continucd on paes seven)