Evening star., 1921-05-07
ULSTER OPPOSES
JOINING REPUBLIC
Sir James Craig Says Ties
With Britain Are Not to
Be Weakened.
By the Asso.ia ted Press.

! By the Associated Press.
| BELFAST. May ct has been
| learned from a high authority that
! Sir James Craig in his conversation
with de Valera gave de Valera to
understand in unmistakable terms
! that under no circumstances would
| Ulster ever entertain the idea of as
| senting to or participating in an
Irish republic.
[ The language of Sir James on this
| point. it was declared, was as decisive
and emphatic as anything Premier
Lloyd George has said on the same
subject and hence no progress was
possible either with the premier or
/ the people of Ulster along the lines
of the Sim Fein's present policy.
1t was added that it might definite
| ly be stated that the negotiations ard
! at an end uuless the Sim Fein makes
a new move on a different line from
! that adopted at the conference.
Reiterates Opposition.
Speaking at Hollywood. a suburb OF
to his conference with de Valera,
| said:
! Il only hope that the expectations
f! of immediate peace may not be too
high, either across the channel or
here. The first step in matter Of
this sort is always difficult. but l do
not believe "A big man could refuse to
take the first step, or that a man is
big If he refuses to take such a step
when so much is at stake"
Sir James reiterated that neither he
nor any Ulster loyalist would consent
to a republic, or any weakening of
the ties between Ulster and Great
Britain.
Nothing had been surrendered or
would be surrendered, the speaker
declared, and the Sim Fein knew it.
Slim Feiner Sees Hope.
BY the Associated Press.
DUBLIN, May IA spokesman for
the Dali Eireann declined 10 throw
further ight on the Craig-de Valera
meeting than what already is known.
He directed attention to the phrase iR
de Nalera's proclamation concerning
devolution in home affairs. however.
and intimated that was a basis on
which the Sim Fein was willing to
accommodate listers interests in ne
gotiating a settlement of the con-
troversy.
This Spokesman informed the cor
respondent that the Dali Eireanns
first condition for peace was a unit
ed Ireland" with full independence.
Dominion home rule" he termed a
misnomer--a view subscribed to by
IA
the Irish Dominion League. who said
that in the leagues memorial which
is to be submitted to the govern
ment the phrase Dominion home
rule" had been carefully excluded in
favor OF "a full Dominion status"
which, he added. was quite another
thing
Would Give Autonomy.
The Sim Fein was willing, the
Spokesman for the Dali Eireann de-
ciared, to give Ulster the most COM
plete autonomy in home affairs, pro-
yided. in the words OF de Valera,
Ireland was not divided and was a
unit with regard to other nations and
states.
An ambush occurred at Castlebar,
County Mayo, yesterday, but the at
tacking party was put to flight, Ieav-
ing two dead. Two of the rebels
were made prisoners Onicial esti-
mates of the casualties in Tuesdays
ambush at Tourmakady, County
Mayo, place the number Of Sim Fem
ers killed at ten and those wounded
at ten.
Two Soldiers Shot.
CORK. May Two former soldiers
were shot dead and a woman danger
ously wounded here early this morning
while returning from q dance in the
barracks at Youghal, twenty-seven
miles east OF here.
The railway bridge between Thurlesf
and Goods Cross has been blown UP,
stopping railway traffic and cutting
communication between southern Ire
land and Dublin, =