The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-08-15
What Britain Pronoses

What Britain Proposes
The British proposals which were
dated July 20, said:
"'Fhe British government are ac
tuated by an earnest desire to end
the unhappy divisions between Great
Britain and Ireland which have pro-
duced so many conflicts in the past
and which have once more shattered
The peace and well-being of Ireland
At the present time they long with
his majesty, the king. in the words of
his gracious speech in Ireland last
month. for satisfactory solution of
those age-long Irish problems which
for generations embarrassed our fore
fathers as they now weigh heavily
upon us, and they wish to do their
utmost to secure that every man of
Irish birth should work in loyal CO.
operation with the free communities
on which the British empire is based
They are convinced that the Irish
people may find as worthy and com
plete an expression OF their political
and spiritual ideals within the en-
pire as any of the numerous and
varied nations united in allegiance
TO his majesty's throne and they de-
sire such consummation not only for
the welfare of Great Britain and Ire
land and the empire as a whole but
also for the cause of peace and har-
mony throughout the world.
There is not part of the world
where Irishmen have made their
homes but suffers from our ancient
feuds. No part of it but looks to this
meeting between the British govern
ment and the Irish leaders to resolve
these feuds in new understanding.
honorable and satisfactory to all the
people involved.
"The free nations which compose
the British empire are drawn from
many races with different histories.
traditions and ideals The
British people cannot believe that
where Canada and South Africa. with
equal or even greater differences,
have so signally succeeded, Ireland
will fail, and they are determined
that so far as they themselves can
assure it nothing shall hinder Irish
statesmen from joining together to
build up an Irish state in free and
:
peoples of the empire.
'Moved by these considerations,
the British government invite Ireland
to take her place in the great associa-
tion of free nations over which his
majesty reigns. AS an earnest = of
their desire to obliterate old quarrels
and to enable Ireland to face the fu-
ture with her own strength and hope,
they propose that ireland shall as
sumo forthwith the status of a domin-
ion, with all the powers and privi-
leges set forth in this document.
by the adoption of dominion stat
us, 1t is understood that Ireland shall
enjoy complete autonomy in taxation
and finance; that she shall maintain
her own military forces for home de-
Tense, her own constabulary and her
own police; that she shall take over
the Irish postal service and all mat
terS relating thereto; education, land,
agriculture, mines and minerals, for
estry, housing, labor. unemployment,
transport trade, public health, health
insurance and liquor traffic, and in
sum, that she shall exercise all those
powers and privileges upon which the
autonomy of self-governing dominions
is based, subject to the considerations
set forth in the ensuing paragraphs.
Guaranteed in these liberties,
which no foreign people can chal-
lenge, without challenging the empire
as whole, the dominions hold each
and severally by virtue of their Brit
ish fellowship, standing amongst
the nations equivalent not merely to
their individual strength, but to the
combined powers and influence of all
the nations of the commonwealth
That guarantee, that fellowship, that
freedom, the whole empire looks to
Ireland to accept"
Then follow six stipulations
The first says that the common con-
Germ of both countries in the defense
of their interests on land and sea
shall be recognized
Great Britain" it adds, "lives by
the sea; her food and her communi
cations depend on the freedom of the
great sea routes. Ireland lies at Brit
aims side, across the seaways, north
and south, that link her with the sis.
ter nations of the empire, the mar
kets of the world and the vita
sources of her food supply.
I'm recognition of this fact, which
nature has imposed and which NJ
craftsmanship can change, it is essen
tial that the royal navy alone shoulC
control the seas around Ireland ant
Great Britain, and that such right.
and liberties should be accorded it BY
the Irish state as are essential fol
naval purposes in Irish harbors anC
on Irish coasts"
! The second stipulation says:
I'm order that the movement to
ward limitation of ornaments which
/ is now making. progress in the worlt