Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-02
IRISH SETTLEMENT
PLAN CONSIDERED
Tentative Agreement Believed
Drafted-Private Discussions
Make for Progress
PREMIER MAY DELAY TRIP
BY the Associated Press


to believe today that a plan of settle
inent of the Irish question has been
drafted and is being discussed In detail
by the committee representing the Gov
ernment and the Irish delegations.
which now is exercising the chief func.
tions Of the Irish conference.
Aside from the recent formal meet
fngs Of the committee and Of the CON
ference rs n whole, there have been
more intimate explorations of the Sit
uation n private meetings mt which
representative of each side. accom-.
panied by mutual friends, have talked
freely in conversations. which arc
understood to have bound none of the
participants to any definite line Of
action.
There were pcssimistic rumors current
here last night concerning the ncgotin-
tions, but there were no developments.
ms far as known. to justify the opinion
that the situation was either better or
worse than It had been during the last
few days.
Might Delay Lloyd George
The absence Of any definite prospect
OF an immediate settlement would OBJ
viously lessen the chance of Prime Min
ister Lloyd George sailing on the AQui-
tanin, which leaves on Saturday for the
United States. Some papers were posi-
tive in their statements that Mr.. Lloyd
George had abandoned all idea Of start
ing on Saturday. although he was still
determined TO go as soon Ms possible.
Negotiations have progressed TO n
point which makes necessary the pres
ence in London Of Sir James Craig.
Premier of Ulster. 1t was declared here
today.
Political correspondents Of London
newspapers today ccntrrcd their attcn.
tion upon the lister question. and spec
ulated whether Sir James would soon
Join in the conversations goiug forward
here.
lister May Take Part
at would appear that the day when
Ulster must be associated with the Sim
Fein in the negotiations is near nt
hand" declared the parliamentary cor
respondent of the London Times. but
the manner and time OF Sir James
Craig's coming are among the obscuri
ties of the situation.
The Daily Mail asserted there would
be little surprise il Sir Jar,/> should
be invited soon to join in W Irish con
ference, and other newspapers treated
such an event as probability. 4 Dub.
lin dispatch TO the daily Mail stated
that many people there were more san
guine than might be expected over the
Ulster situation.
1t said prominent persons in Dublin
had been in Belfast recently. and had
sounded various circles there with Opti-
mistic results. but the dispatch added
the root of this optimism seemed to lie
principally in the belief that the fnan-
cial position of Belfast wa So bad that
q junction with the rest of Ireland
might be forced by the stringeucy of
money.
Special Gable Dispatch. Copyright. 1927
London, Nov. 1.-The Irish situation
is still very serious, but the conferences
still are being held and Prime Minister
Lloyd George will do everything pos
sible to avoid a breakdown.
If the Irish conference fails it is
understood that Mr.. Lloyd George will
resign from Office at once and call q
general election, seeking new mandate
either for peace or war with Ireland.
The Irish brought with them yestpr-
day communication from Dublin. the
secret OF which they closely guarded.
The substance Of the document Is said
20 be definite Sim Fein offer 10 trade
independence for Tyrone and Fer
managh. Under its pledges t. Ulster,
however, Great Britain cannot agree to
this without Ulster's consent and ne
gotiations are now going on for some
compromise along this line.
1t is thought that Ulster will refuse
TO consent 10 let all of the two counties
go, but II might agree to n division on
the Upper Silcsian plan. giving the
Catholic districts to Ireland and the
Protestant 10 Ulster. 1t will be cx-
cecdingly difficult to draw a frontier,
as the two religions are ine1tricalIy
mixed.
Discussing Prime Minister Lloyd
Georges policy, the Daily Chronicle
says:
I'm conference the Sim Fcin dele
gates have raised the issue Of the
Counties of Tyrone and Fcrnaragn,
with their large Catholic pOpulatiunS
and, it is believed, have urged that
a plebisCite should be taken to Scp
whether by majority these counties
would not come over 10 the South. but
Ulster was given these counties BY the
Home Rule Act passed by the present
Parliament and the Ulster members
state definitely that she will not give
them up, regarding them as vital TO her
position.
"If this be 50. then the only line of
compromise and the only instrument BY
which the Sim Fein hope for the ulti-
mate unity Of Ireland could be pro-
NOTED would be by an alteration in the
powers and status Of the Irish Council
linking the Northern and Southern Pa
liaments. To agree to euch an aItcru-
tion in the Irish Council az would sut.
isfy the Sim FPin ideal Of the unity
of Ireland would be a concession BY