Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1921-09-08
IRELAND REFUSES
DOMINION STATUS
Government by Consent Of Gov
orned Sole Solution
READY FON FURTHER TALK
Declines Any Farley With Less Than
independence as It's outcome--Pre-
pared For Resistance.

pared For Resistance.
London The reply Of the Irish
Republican parliament TO Prime
Minister Lloyd Georges latest CONS
munication rejects the British govern
ment's proposals fer settlement Of the
irish question on the ground that they
are not based on dominion status for
Ireland.
1t leaves the way open for further
negotiations, however by offering to at
once appoint plenipotentiaries on the
basis OF the principle Of government
by consent OF the governed.
The Irish Republican reply, which
Is addressed to Mr.. Lloyd George and
signed by Eamonn de Valera was CIV
en- out at 10 Downing street, the prime
minister's official residence. II says
the differences between Great Britain
and Ireland can only be reconciled on
the principle of government by con-
sent Of the governed, "and on this
basis we are ready to appoint pleni-
potentiarles." The communication In
part reads:
Eve, 500, are convinced 1t Is essen
tial that some definite and immediate
progress should be male toward ba-
SIS upon which further negotiations
can usefully proceed and recognized
the futility of mere exchange OF
argumentative notes l shall. there
fore, refrain from commenting on
your last communication. The present
is the reality with which we have to
deal ssSas esHass sf
"The conditions OF today are the re-
sultant of the past. Accurately sum-
ming up and giving in simplest form
the essential data of the problem,
these data are:
"First-The people Of Ireland, ac-
kuowledging no voluntary union with
Great Britain and claiming as their
fundamental and natural right to-
choose freely for themselves the path
they shall take to realize their ma
tional destiny, have, by an overwhelm-
ing majority, declared for indepen-
dence and to set UP republic, and
more than once have confirmed their
choice.
sSecond-Great Britain. on the other
hand, acts as though Ireland were
bound to her by contract Of union
that forbids separation.
"The circumstances Of the supposed
contract are notorious. Yet on the
theory Of Its validity, the British Cow
eminent and parliament claimed to-
rule and legislate for Ireland. even
to the point of partition1ng Irish terri
tory against the viii OF the Irish peo-l
pie and killing or casting into prison
every Irish citizen who refuses aile-l
glance. The proposals your govern
ment submitted In the draft Of last
July 20 are based fundamentally on
the latter premises. We rejected
these proposals and our rejection is
irrevocable. They are not an invita-
tIon to Ireland to enter into free and
willing partnership with the free ma
lions Of the British commonwealth
They are an invitation to Ireland to
enter in the guise Of and under con-
ditions which determine status def
nitely inferior to that Of these free
states.
'If you again resort to force, and II
victory be not on the side of justice,
the problem that confronts us will
confront our successors. The fact
that for $50 years the problem has re-
sisted solution by force is evidence
and warning sufficient. 1t IS true wis
dom, therefore, and true statesman
ship, not any false idealism, that
prompts me and my colleagues. !
Threats of force must be set aside.
They must be set aside from the be-
ginning as well as during actual con-
duct of the negotiations"