The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-09-10
DE VALERA
HINTS OF
OPEN WAR
Sim Fem Leader Says
He Desires Peace
But Not On Eng
land S Terms

Dublin, Sept. S (By the Associat-
ed Press On the eve Of a meet
s ing OF the British cabinet at In
verness To take action on. the Irish
problem, Eamon de Valera, the
Irish Republican leader, today
quite Unexpectedly issued a state
ment to the press In which, after
rejterating Ireland-s earnest desire
for peace, declared that peace
could never be founded on make
believe.
Let us lay aside the camou-
dage mad put away the hypocrisy y
said Mr.. de Valera 1if England
as Issuing an ultimatuna, let it be
an nitinatum.''
War. not peace, would be the
outcome of the imposition Of Eng
lands proposals by force, accord
ing to Mr.. dc Valera, who went on
TO assert that England had no ba-
sis In right for. single demand
shs was making on Ireland and
would not dare to make such de-
/ 8uaands upon a power even nearly
as strong as herself az,
It was announced earlier in the
day by the Sim Fem leaders that
there was nothing to communicate;
then su1deny came a call and a
typewriter statement was given
cut Though bitterness is to be OBJ
served IN the pronouneement, it is
noted that it does not amount to
a rupture Of the negotiations; new
ertheless its issuance at this criti-
seal moment is believed here to add
TO t5e gravIty Of the situation
The text OF Mr. de Valera's
statement follows:
tt seems that It is a grievous
politicaI sin these days to keep
ones eyes open. Plain common
sense Isl sneered at as rhetoric and
logic The British imperial states
men are trying to sell Ireland sec
ond rate political margarine and are
very angry because we do not ac-
scept the butter label they put on
and believe all the advertising stuff
they have had printed about it. II
It were real butter it would not
need an this advertisement.
s.Ihe Fish know that Ghe article
ssafed o0Tr .shs shop as the ar
tiele being sold Is. very unlikely to
bethe article that win finally reach
them ireland wants butter and
the Irish people Will not be deceive
ed into thinking they have got l..
They see it actually delivered. The
English press asks have we a will
to peace? Yes, we have-and an
ardent desire. It Is for that very
reason that we refuse to see things
as other than they are. Peace will
never be founded on make believe
Let US tear aside the caHnoufiage
and put away the hypocricies. !.
.sIf England is issuing an I1ti-
matam let 1t be an u1timatum.
Brute force. and .unabashed, has
been used against small nations
before. Our nation has known. it
for long. Even oIir little children
have experienced 1t and no pre-
tense viii hide the threat Of force;
IL IS. best recognized for what it
Is.
England has no basis in right
7 for a single one OF the demands she
is making. on Ireland. She would
not dare make them to a power
even nearly as strong as herself.
They are made to US simply be-
cause it is felt Great Britain is
strong enough to enrorce them and
Ireland t8o weak 10 resist success
fully That is the naked truth, and
{ it is useless attempting to hide it
For peace secured in these cir
cumstances no one would have the
slightest respect; certainly no Irish
man would feel bound by any ar
rangement thus arrived at.
with this background of impo-
sition by force, war. not peace,
would surely be the outcome. Ire
land san Great Britain are neigh
bofs. The natural forces of nu-
StuaI interests and common pur-
poses would have brought the two
peoples together long ago as real
friends in voluntary cooperation
had not the rulers and statesmen
with their cursed meddling and ar
tificial contrivances interposed in
snperable barriers. which the Brit
{ Ish government proposal seeks to
continue and perpetuate.
Tad the representatives &C the
British dominions at their recent
conference sought to bind by for
1nu;a and centralize by machinery
the union that now exists between
these states and Great Britain they
would have disr dpted their en-
pire. Wisely for the empire they
3 let very well be.
.If Pitt had been as wise there
would be no Irish problem today
and ireland woulc hs:5e been saw
ed a century and = quarter Of ms
cry and Great brit2iG., a century
Sand a quarter OF shame.
Pitts work must be scrapped
and debris cleared away ~ find a
foundation for a real and natural
union between helan5 and Great
Britain. We are strugs;.ng to get
that foundation; we know exactly
what we are doing and all who de-
sire to see Great Britain and Ire
land friends and at pedce will lend
q helping hand. .
u -1x~ CT