New-York tribune., 1921-08-15

yours. we nave no conditions to i'm
pose, no claims to advance, but the one
that we be freed from aggression.
we reciprocate with sincerity to
be measured only by the terrible suf-
ferings our people have undergone, the
desire to express for mutual and last
ing friendship. The sole cause of the
ancient feuds you deplore has been, as
history proves. the attacks of the Eng
lish rulers upon Irish liberties. These
attacks can cease forthwith if your
government has the will
THE road to peace and understand
ing lies open"
Mr.: Lloyd Georges reply, which was
dated August Is, said:
"The earlier part Of your letter is
so much opposed to our fundamental
position that we feel bound to leave
you in no doubt Of our meaning. You
state that after consulting your col
leagues you confirm your declaration
that our proposals are such as the
Dahl Eireann could not and the Irish
people would not accept. You add that
the outline given by our draft is self
contradictory and that the principle
Of the pact offered you is not easy to
determine. We desire, therefore. to
make our position absolutely clear.
"In our opinion nothing is to be
gained by prolonging the theoretical
discussion of the national status which
you may be willing to accept, as COM
pared with that of the great self-gov-
erning dominions of the British COM
monwealsh, but we must direct your
attention to one point on which you
lay some emphasis. and on which no
British government can compromise,
namely. the claim that we should ac-
knowledge the right of Ireland to se-
cede from her allegiance to the King.
mo such right can ever be acknowl-
edged by US. The geographical pro-
pinquity Of Ireland to the British Isles
is a fundamental fact. The history of
the two islands for many centuries,
however it is read, is sufficient proof
that their destinies are indssolubly
linked.
ireland has sent members to the
British Parliament for more than q
hundred years. Many of her people
during all that time have enlisted free
ly and served gallantly in the forces
OF the crown. Great numbers in all
the Irish provinces are profoundly at
tached to the throne.
"These, facts permit of one answer,
and one only, to the claim that Great
Britain should negotiate with Ireland
as a separate and foreign power.
ative of Irish national ideals, came to
speak with me l made one condition
only, of which our proposal plainly
stated the effect-that Ireland should
recognize the force of geographical and
historical facts.
Problem Governed by Facts
ut is those facts which govern the
problems OF British-Irish relations. If
they. did not exist there would be no
problems to discuss. | pass, therefore,
TO the conditions which are imposed
by these facts.
I'VE set them out clearly in six
clauses in our former proposals, and
need not restate them here, except to
say that the British government can
not consent to the reference of any
such questions which concern Great
Britain and Ireland alone to the arbi-
tration of foreign power.
We are profoundly glad to have your
not be coerced. This point is of great
Importance, because the resolve of our
people to resist with full power any at
tempt at secession by one part of Ire
land carries with it of necessity an
equal resolve to resist any effort to
coerce another part of Ireland to aban-
don its allegiance to the crown.
=, we S1auly give you the assurance
that we will concur in any settlement
which southern and northern Ireland
may make for Irish unity within the
six conditions already laid down, which
apply to southern and northern Ire
land alike, but we cannot agree to
refer the question of your relations
with northern Ireland to foreign arbi-
tration.
Idea of Ascendancy Disclaimed
"The conditions of the proposed set
Element do not arise from any desire
to force our will upon the people of
another race, but from facts which are
as vital to Ireland's welfare as to our
own. They contain no derogation from
Ireland's status as a dominion, no de-
sire for British ascendancy over Ire
land and no impairment Of Ireland's
national ideals.
"Our proposals present to the Irish
people an opportunity such rs has
never dawned in their history before.
We have made them in a a~sincerc de-
sire to achieve peace, but beyond them
we cannot go.
eve trust you will be able to accept
them in principle. shall discuss their
application in detail whenever your ac-
ccptance in principle is communicated
to me-"