The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-16

LONDON. Dee. IJ.-Attacked with
all the bitterness Of traditional
icalousies and hatrcds in three cap
itals-London. Dublin and Bella ST
the Trist Ieacc treaty is apparently
Or It's way 20 inevitable ratification.
This was Il. day when the. die
hsrds used their final opportunity
Il voice their unsl.crabIe cunvic-
lion that the treaty msans surrcndcr
TO Sim Fein. treason 20 Ulster aEc
disaster 10 the empire. They were
answered calmly and convincingiy
by government supporters. iUclGd-
ing the premier. and even by All
drew Bonar Law. who came out OF
his retirement and to the accom-
panimeLt OF cheers announced his
acceptance Of the document as the
best instrument. in spite Of its
Weaknesses. that could be devised
under present conditions.
erection Lead, Fight.
Col Gretton, vigorous opponent Of
the treaty, led the opposition in the
House OF Commons, in support OF his
amendment to the address to the
King which regrets that the pro-
posed settlement involves the sur
render OF the rights of the crown in
Ireland. gives ireland the aowcr
TO establish an independent arnNv
and navy, and violates pledges &c,
Ulster for the safety of the rights
Of the loyalist population"
For Bonar Law. it was his first,
speech IN commons since his re-
tirement from the ministry. He was
loudly cheered both as he entered
TIE house and as he rose to speak.
Law Fnyors Treaty.
Bonar Law favored the treaty
he declared. although il must be ad.
mitted that II had some weak
points. But he saw no alternative
Isn't Il worth the risk" he
asked. "to try to get our relations
on a better footing? whateve,
happens England is more or less
out of the picture now. II the Irish
mean to fight, they will fight one
another"
The former min ster lamented the
| bitterness which is growing in
Ulster because the North thinks IL
has been betrayed.
1T Is one OF the most disastrou.
Things that could occur" ~ said.
add ng that he could not agree that
the South would have extraordinary
financial advantages. because the
vounE and inexperienced statesmen
Treating the new state would create
taxation higher than that in the
United Kingdom" He critic zed
briefly the proposed revision OF
listers boundaries.
Fight In Lords.
Bryce and the Archbishop of Can
serbury raised their voices n sup
~ort Of the agreement. while the
marquis Of Londonderry and the
Duke Of northumberland opposed
ratification.
vigorous denunciation OF the
Sim Fein organ cation and decla-
rations that the government had
broken its pledges to Ulster char
hcterized the debate in commons on
khe question of Col Gretton's
amendment
Matters ordinarily submitted to
general election" said Rupert
swynne. were n this instance de-
cided by five cabinet ministers and
Eour representatives of a murder
AEang." His description OF the Sim
-einers threw the house into an
[hproar.
Warming by George.
Upon further hecklng. Lloyd
George admitted that Parliament
could. II II wished. alter the terms
Of the agreement. but Insisted that
absence OF consent by both sides
would restroy the pact and the
negotiations would have to be
opened once more. with the risk
Of failure to arrive at a settle
ment."
Winston Churchill. defending the
treaty. pointed out the necessity for
settlement. arguing that conditions
IN ireland have been worse within the
past two years than within the liv-
ing memory Of man."
The longer the struggle continued"
he said. "the worse things became,
until the jails we're crammed with
men against whom no evidence could |
be Obtained The crown forces In Ire
land we're insufficient to cope with the
situation, and Feprisals under martial
NV had not had their desired effect