Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-12-18

| against the eternal rocks. Ratifica
| ton of the agreement by parliament
yesterday by an overwhelming vote
meant more an indication of Britain
determination for peace than most PEG
| pie imagine. The agreement goes
miles further than anything dreamed
of before. We have grown accustomed
to regard home rule" in terms Of John
Redmond's demands which still left
Ireland within the fiscal and defensive
system of the united kingdom. The
scheme under consideration makes sad
havoc Of many previous professions.
Ireland is to be state in com
munity of free states-hence the dan
gers and doubts Of the week. which
have been fed by De Valera's declara-
ton of rejection and Carson's bitter
hostility.
But John Bull is practical as well
as q magnanimous and stolid type OF
humanity. He has faced the facts with
equanimity and good will. He realized
that throughout the world, growth OF
other dominions to status of free
states has disposed peoples toward a
larger sympathy for Irish aspirations.
Lord Morley and Lord Dunraven in
the house Of lords, Sir Samuel Hoare
and the writer in the commons. led
shades of British politics in apprecia-
ton Of the kings generous gesture at
Belfast when he opened the Ulster par
lament and in hearty endorsement OF
the agreement drawn up at Downing
street. Even the unionists, who have
fought for generations against the sep
aration of ireland from the united
kingdom, courageously faced needs
based on new facts. AS for the pre-
dominant partner" Mr.. Lloyd George
scores magnificent success.
If hesitation on the Irish side causes
anxiety, it is because the attitude TAX
en- by De Valera and the respect felt
to be due him. But acceptance is only
matter Of time and patience. Tim
Healy, T.. p. OConnor and the old
Irish nationalist leaders generally have
pleaded for peace. The Irish Catholics
and the bishops are on the same side.
1t is inconceivable that De Valera, even
Of warfare. Ireland and Great Britain
are destined, in the near future, to take
their places side by side as separate
entities for internal government but
one in spirit in the family of free ma
tons.
Our concern with these grave mat
tiers has not turned our attention from
the splendid work that is being done at
Washington. AS nation we had been
exercised about the Japanese treaty.
We gained from it in the past, for
Japan and Loyalty played her part when
we were sorely pressed and we felt
that we could not fairly dismiss her
when our turn had been served. But
uppermost in the hearts Of our people
is the ideal of hearty cooperation with
the United States and this also has
been the primary principle Of our in
ternational policy.
How to reconcile our duty to Japan
with this thought was difficult cues
ton happily solved in the best of all
possible ways-by absorbing the Anglo
Japanese treaty in wider agreement.
France as well as the United States
and Japan are with us in a pact which
guarantees that certain problems OF
the far east will cease from troubling
the world for at least ten years. 1t Is
q great achievement. Together with
the reduction Of ornaments it gives the
Washington conference an historical
We can turly say now, the world is
rolling freedoms way and ripening in
her sorrow"
The next task is the question of re-
parations and their adjustment to the
Industrial and economic needs of the
world. That is the task to which Mr..
Lloyd George is now applying his
mind. His consultation with Premier
BRAND this week on the matter is a
new step towards, let us hope, some
definite settlement of his disturbing