New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-06
De VaIera's Threat.


temper is the latest De Valera re-
lection Of the British peace settle
ment offer calculated to check the
pronounced drift of American senti-
ment away from Sein Fein ex-
tremism.
The change in American opinion,
q change that gave warning that
America would not finance indefi-
nitely a campaign Of assassination
which was destroying Irish pros
perity ard might bring ON famine,
even as similar anarchy has done
in Russia, is believed to have hast
ened De Valera's return to Ireland.
But so far, carrying on his work in
sound-proof rooms and furnishing a
most aggravated example of secret
diplomacy, he has contributed little
to good result.
De Valera in private life was
teacher of mathematics. He seems
to think 8 complicated human ques-
ton can be. solved by formula as
cold as theorem and a logic as hard
and infiexible as that of an old
fashioned theologian.
He presents the consent Of the
governed as a final and never
to-be-departed-from principle. This
promise being assumed and used as
the fulcrum of his argument, the
conclusion is automatic that the
Irish republic is the only authority
Ireland can recognize.
The American people, duly rever-
ent of the principle of government
through consent, are scarcely to be
caught by such artificial syllogizing.
They remember Gettysburg and
Appomattox; they recall how the
French republicans would not allow
La Vendee to depart; they ere
enough acquainted with history to
know that the truth residing in self
determination is qualified by other
truths-that there is a claim of the
whole as we'll as of its parts. An
aggregate which long events and
long association have brought to-
gether is not to be rudely torn
asunder according as local wishes
are disclosed in a single election.
Civilized societies justly have CEN
tripetalism as fell as centrifugal
ism. Diffusion is a law Of nature,
but so also is cohesion.
Moreover, the De Valera ma
neuver Of making consent the sole
obligation is negatived by Sim
Fein's own denial Of it's absolute
validity. The Dali Eireann steadily
refuses to concede it to Ulster.
Michael Collins, chief Of the Sim
Fem army, has just journeyed to
indicate what the Green intends to
do to the Orange if it gets chance.
Even more frank is the Sim Fem
lieutenant, who, speaking in the
presence of his chief, gave warning
that if boycott did not suffice to
coerce then lead would be asked.
II De Valera condemns this pro-
gram he does so without rebuking
its promulgators.
The De Valera reply carries most
sinister implication. The shillelagh
of a midnight guerrilla warfare is
flourished. Rather than consent to
a settlement which the whole world
acclaims, which the great mass of
the friends of. Ireland in America
heartily approves and which the
Church which commands the allie
glance of most Irishmen is on it's
knees praying for, De Valera would
unleash again the Ku-Kluxers who
wait for his signal. His "army" is
only small minority of the Irish
people, but it doubtless has power
to make the winter a bitter one for
Ireland.
Yet though thus presenting him
self as q dogmatic irreconcilable,
De Valera suggests once more that
his words are not to be taken at
their letter by proposing further
negotiation. So it may be that his
fierceness is only verbal and that he
is still merely preparing his follow
ers for an. announcement that he
fears will not be agreeable to them.