Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-09-24
SUGGESTS NO INTERpRErATlON

True Answer to Criticism or Ire
; lands Attitude"
London, Sept. 15.-'rhc rock upon
which the British Irish negotiations al,
+. parcntly have failed is the status Ol
; SinnF ems delegation to tho peace
conference.
! Lloyd George insists that they shall
F.; como as representatives of a denim.
ion, loyal to the crown, and an inte'
grail part OF the British empire.
DE Valera insists that they shall go
us representatives, of an independent
and sovereign staate-to discuss the
question of allegiance after they ar'
| rive.
! Neither De Valera nor Lloyd George
| will recede from this position.
| If the negotiations are thus ended
the government is expected to put into
force ut once the present home rule net
dissolving and suppressing the Dali
Eireann for its refusal to take the
oath OF allegiance to the King. Thia
In turn Will bring about an expression
of Sim Fein resentment, which XII.
. doubtedly will bring about rupture OF
the truce and Resumption of hostilittcs
j READY FOR ANY EMERGENCY
me government has prepared n
most elaborate military program in
the event the situation necessitatcs
the use of force. A new campaign
described as ga revelation of military
strength such as Ireland has never
known before" outdoing all previous
activities Of the crown forces, will Re
set on foot.
1t is now learned that De Valcra's
reply, punished this afternoon and n,
slstlng upon recognition of tho sover
eighty OF Ireland, was Identical with
the message carried by the two Sim
Fe1n couriers, Joseph McGrath and r
g. Barton to Gairloch earlier in tho
: week. Its text was given out by Dc
valera In spite OF the fact that he had
been warned by Lloyd George that 1,
was hopelessly unacceptable.
The text Of De Valera's note fol
lows:
We are unhesitating in, declaring
o"i Willingness TO enter n conference
: 70 ascertain how the association OF
ireland with the association OF nations
commonly known rs the British EN-
pre- can best be reconciled with Jr
ish national aspirations.
/ SUMMON DAHL BIREANN
Our readiness to contemplate such
an asfsoclatfon was indicated in on,
letter OF August TO- We have. accord
lngly, summoned the Dali Eirear,
that we may submit to it for ratificn
lion the names OF the representative
IL Is our intention to propose. VIZ
hope that these representatives will
nnd 1t possible to, be at Inverness on
tne date you suggest, September 20.
In this final note, we deem It our
duty to reaftlrm that our poaition is
ana can only be as we have defined
throughout this correspondence
Our nation has formally declared SIS
independence and recognizes itself as
a sovereign state. 1t Is only as rep
resettatives of that state and as Its
CHOSEN guardians that we have AL
hority or powers to act on beha,f Of
our people.
AS regards the principle of govern
ment by consent of the governed, In
the very nature of things 1t must b,
ole basis of any agreement that Will
achieve the purpose we have Mt he,~t
1.-The final reconciliation of our ia.
tion with yours.
SUGGEST NO INTERPRETATION
| we have suggested no interpreta,
ton of that principle save in it's every
}uay nterpretation-tlse sense. for es
ample, In which it was understood by
the plain men and women of the world
when on January 3, 1918 YOU said.
the settlement OF Europe must be
DO based on such grounds of reason
ana justice as will give some promise
OF stability. Therefore, it Is, that we
leel that government with the conser,
OF tle governed must be tho basis OF
any territorial settlement in this war
inese words are the true ansye,
10 the criticismN Of our position which
your last letter puts forward. TIL,
principle was understood then to NEAR
the right Of nations that had been ar
nexed to empires ase.nst their will, :,
free themselves from tho prannlinf
NOOK. mat Is the sense in which W.
understand 1t. In reality, it Is You
goVernment-whe it seeks to reno
our ancient nation AID to partition II:
lSerr1tory--that would give to the pr,f
clple an Interpretation that would ur
dermine the fabric of every democrats,
state and drive the civilized worlf
back into tribalism.
II am, sir. Faithfully ,,ou,.s
EAMONN DE VALERA