Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-08-28

ernment offered to set forth in detail
in Prime Minister Lloyd Georges first
letter The general belief expressed is
that Eamonn De Valera. Irish repub-
| lican leader, having said all that is
| necessary to assure Irishmen Of the
Sim Fein's theoretical standpoint, will
do this.
Position Doubtful.
The British find it difficult to ana
lyse Mr.. De valera's exact position
from whatever light his latest notes
throw upon it. There is the belief. or
at least the hope, that the policy of
the Irish republican cabinet will be.
while constantly affirming Ireland g
claim to independence, to negotiate at
the same time terms for dominion
status under the new watchword of
consent of the governed"-in other
words, that while clinging to the as
sertion of the inherent right to inde-
pendence, the cabinet will consent" to
accept dominion status, bargaining to
the last ditch for the nearest approach
to independence possible.
1t is hoped here that the final solu-
ton may rest upon a referendum Of
the Irish people. The New Statesman.
which is the most solid organ of the
labor movement and a consistent and
well-inforned friend of Ireland, asserts
that four -fifths of the Irish people
would vote for acceptance of the Brit
lsh terms. Every observer in ireland,
1T says. agrees that the people are
tired of guerilla fighting and are find
ing rare enjoyment of the freedom to
i've their normal lives which the truce
has given them.
Go Direct to People.
If the Irish republican cabinet even
tualiy refuses the British terms, ref
erendum of the British people prob
ably will follow in the form of the
British government resorting to a gen
eral election to give the country a
chance to reject or confirm the govern
ment's policy
Judging from the newspapers again,
there is distinct hardening of Brit
lsh sentiment in the direction of coerc-
ing the Irish with more force than
hitherto has been used. British senti-
ment. they declared would approve this.
based on the feeling that the govern
ment has offered very generous con-
cessions and that the secession of Ire
land could not possibly be permitted.
Ulster apparently is giving no help
to compromise and Mr.. de Valera, it
is believed here, must drop any hope
OF making any arrangement with the
northern provinces whereby they will
present united front with southern
ireland to Great Britain. Ulster pub
ilcists are standing pat on the plat
form of refusing to wave any of the
rights their new government acquired
under the recent home rule act. The
general policy of the Belfast newspa-
pers and the Orange societies is rot
to give soft answer to any of the re.
publicans pretensions, as the Ulster
men term them
Prime Minister Lloyd George seldom
goes anywhere without mounting the
platform and making a speech. Satur-
lay he and his wife attended the we'd
hing in Barnsley of Sir William Suther-
and. member of parliament and re-
,entlyl one of the prime minister's pri-
vate secretaries to Miss Foutain. who
s one of the richest women in England.
After making congratulatory speech
It the wedding breakfast, Mr.. Lloyd
ieorge dwelt largely on the Irish quer-
ion. emphasizing that the Irish would
De foolish to reject a scheme Of self
government going beyond the ambitions
AiSSohiS hclLC Iu1CIS.
Going On Vacation.
Sunday Lloyd George is goins for
Tacation in the Scotch country. forty
niles from railroad. There is much
,uriosity as to who will act as nero-
iators in behalf Of Great Britain in
'ass the negotiations begin, since the
,rlme minister in his letter to Mr.. de
valera emphasized that there should
'e no delay in negotiations.
In his speech at Barnsley, Mr.. Lloyd
ieorge said: I'VE have all got preju-
ices. | have seen anti-Irish prejudices
ashed into unwisdom, and I have seen
nti- English prejudices on the other
ide lashed into unwisdom. For Gods
AXE let us clear aside prejudices. A
atlon that lives on prejudices is DOOM
d, like a man who lives on hatred
Tells Horrors Of War.
whether it is in public or in pri-
ate trust. no man can endure who
as a vendetta in business or politics.
i nations vendetta are the same.
1T is a sour pasturage Of hatred.
Let us sweep it on one side, whatever
/ costs, even when there is reason in
/. l am proud to think that Great
Britain has arisen above all its preju-
ices and has given its prime minister
fair chance to speak in the name of
he people of Great Britain.
"If you had severance it would lead
4 ireland itself to the most cruel and
lost terrible civil war Ireland has ever
cen. and help would be rushed from
IL sides and every part Of the world
D assist the parties who were fighting
ut the battle. We could not witness
vil war of that kind at our own doors
'hich would involve our own people
the empire and other peo-
les as well.