Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1921-07-14
Smuts' Efforts Bring Renewed
Hope of Settlement of
the Irish Trouble.
MAY QUIT "REPUBLIC" IDEA
De Valera and Others Show Disposi-
ton to Yield-No Improvement in
Near Eastern Mess-Germany
Expects Coup d'Etat-
Tariff Fight Is On.
BY EDWARD w. PIckARD.

The entry of Jan Christian SHUTS
into the peace negotiations changed
the Irish situation over night The
South African premier is regarded as
one of the most astute statesmen in
the world, and apparently Lloyd
George has done we'll in enlisting his
assistance. 1t now appears likely that
a peaceful settlement of the Irish
trouble will be reached before long.
Optimistic persons were not dis
mayed by De Valera's tentative refusal
to attend the meeting in London pro-
posed by Lloyd George and Sir James
Craigs refusal to confer with the Sim
Feiners and south Ireland uniOnists in
Dublin. The latter conference was
begun without representatives of u
ster, and an attempt was made to
reconcile the positions Of the Sim
Fein and the unionists. Then Gen
eral SHUTS slipped across to Dublin,
gave he leaders there heart-to-heart
talk, and hurried back to London to
What he told them gave rise to the
most cheerful of predictions.
Though no official statements have
been issued, it appears that this is
how matters now stand: The British
government is willing 10 grant to Ire
land the fullest autonomy, patterned
after that enjoyed by South Africa
Ulster to be considered still part of
the dominion but having an autono-
nous government of it's own, such as
that of Natal "President" De Valera,
Arthur Griffith, founder of Sim Fein;
Michael Collins and other republican
leaders are now willing that Ireland
shall remain a part of the British en-
pire-thOugh they prefer the term
British commonwealth of nations
provided their right of secession is
recognized. Other prominent Sim
Feiners, comprising the intellectuals
and doctrinaires, insist Prime Minister
Lloyd George has not yet sufficiently
recognized the essential unity of Ire
land and its right to self-determina-
ton. All the Sim Feiners assert that
Ulster must accept her autonomy from
the supreme Irish parliament In Dub
lin. The task that remains is to recon
cile these views and bring the Ulster
ties and southern unionists into
agreement with the compromise plan.
That this can be done is the expressed
opinion of some of the chief figures
in the negotiations
Says General Shuts: 81 think. am
hopeful, I trust. that the question will
be solved and that thereby the British
empire will be freed from the imputa-
ton that in this ancient part of the
United Kingdom there still exists vio-
lation of the fundamental principles
upon which the empire rests. say
that the problem is soluble because I
have seen it solved in my own coun-
try under circumstances less embit-
tered than in Ireland but certainly of
a very difficult character, too'
De Valera, in his first authorized
statement since Lloyd Georges invi-
tation, says: I'VE trust that the Brit
ish prime minister's letter may prove
to be the first step toward submitting
a civilized basis of right and reason
for that of barbaric violence in the
arbitration of the question at issue
between Ireland and Great Britain.
SHOULD the conference now initiat-
ed lead to an ultimate understanding
and lasting peace between the peoples
Of these two islands. which have been
In a state Of war, or suspended war,
for more than seven and a half CEN
turies, it will set worthy Christian
precedent for the entire world.
British prestige will be restored,
young Ireland VIII live in history as