The New York herald., 1921-08-16
DILEMMA IS FACING
THE Sim FEINERS
Will Offend Republicans if
They Accept, Yet Can
not Go Back.
ANARCHY WOULD COME
Some Fear Delay, Others
Think Long Debate Gives
Chance of Peace.
ANARCHY WOULD COME
REJECTION REVIEWS WAR
Censorship, Wholesale Arrests
and Suppression by Army
Would Follow.
Bu the Associated Press.

DUBLIN, Aug. 15.-Eamon de Valera
has been inundated by teleSrams,
mostly from Irish Republicans. ad-
vising him not to give In 10 the British
Government on the peace proposals.
"If they (the Irish Republicans) ac-
cept the Governments terms" asked one
member OF the Irish Republican army,
what have we been fighting for?" On
the other hand an official OF tho Sim
Fein said to-day that 1t was those who
wished to continue the fight who rushed
TO the telegraph office. not those seeking
peace.
One OF the most prominent business
men OF Dublin. strong advocate of
home rule, said this evening:
We can never go back to where we
were a month ago. Every mans hand
would be against his fellow and we
would be brought TO the shambles."
The same man, advising newspaper
correspondents not to despair of set
tlement, added: Give the Sim Feiners
chance. They have done very well so
far. Perhaps they can get more than
we have been fighting for for years. IL
not all the Republicans claim
The belief prevails that rejection of
the proposals would mean a resumption
on an intensified scale when the truce
ends. of the guerrilla warfare that for
SO long terrified the country.
No soldier In uniform or BLACK and
Tan" was seen on the streets to-day.
This was the result of an order that uni
formed men keep to their quarters to
avoid provocation for incidents.
Severer Warfare If Peace Fails.
II the negotiations collapse the Irish
la n,+t
paign on the part of the Crown forces
than has been wased hitherto. 1t Is
understood here that some OF the first
steps would be to prohibit the publica-
ton Of any newspapers protesting Sim
Fein sympathies and to make wholesale
arrests of Sim Feiners. Then the mill
tary. II is pointed out, would have a
free hand to take the field against the
Irish Republican Army. which. now that
1t has been recognized as a regular
army. would. the military authorities
declare. have to abide by the laws Of
war or suffer the consequences.
In the streets OF Dublin to-day such
expressions as THE truce ends Tuesday
night" were heard on the lips of some
of the apparently lighter minded, while
the serious business and professional
men an&iously discussed the prospects.
4 Dublin Castle officials view the pro-
| longation of the sessions of the Dali
Eireann in various lights. One section
expresses the fear that delay In imme-
diately acting on the peace proposals
may provoke the military which is de-
clared 10 be not hopeful OF a favorable
| settlement. into making preparations
| for eventualities. The other section.
however. advances the opinion that the
longer the members of the Da EireaLn
are in debate the greater will be the
chance for acceptance OF the Imperial
Governments terms.
Trying to Prevent Break.
Sir John Anderson. Under Secretary
for Ireland. on whose shoulders rests
the greatest responsibility for the civil
administration IN Ireland. hurriedly re-
turned to-day from Scotland. where he
had been on a holiday, to use his infiu-
ence against a DEFINITE break in the
parleying He Immediately went into
conference with Gen. Sir Nevil Macready.
commander of the forces in ireland. and
other officials in an apparent effort TO
iInbue them with his optimism
The optimists in Dublin Castle point
out that many OF the fighting men on
the Republican side. since the truce was
declared. have returned to civil employ
ment The police declare the evidence
they have gathered indicates that while
these men would obey orders to return
to the field. they would do so reluctantly.
The votes Of such men. the optimists
figure. would almost certainly be for a
settlement liz plehlscite was taken. and
these Castle officials believe the Repub-
| licen Cabinet, as tho democratic body
has proclaimed itself, will propose a
| referendum.