The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-09
HOPEFUL SIGNS
 OF SETTLEMENT
 OF IRISH ISSUE
Barnes Points Out Great Change Which Has Taken Place In Britain In the
 Last Few Years
By GEORGE T. BARNES, M. P.

By GEORGE T. BARNES, M. r.
 British Parliament and Labor Leader
 Special Wireless to The AEe-HeraId
 Copyright. 1921. by The Age -Heraid.)
 London, October 8.--With the re- newal of the Irish negotiations next week, it is to be hoped that the rep resentatives of Sim Fein will take into consideration the new status of the British dominions when they come to a discussion of dominion status for Ireland @
 I am afraid that the Irish people still have the old possessive concep- ton of the British empire. But that conception has given way to new ideas of partnership with the dominions on a basis of equality. Those new ideas had taken root be- fore the war. The war matured them and their application to Ireland has come in the sequence of events
 The one outstanding fact in the sit uation is that the British offer has been indorsed by the practical, in stantative common sense of the newly enfranchised people. Political party divisions have been dissolved. On that fact, peace must be based.
 Feeling of Hope Prevails
 The coming conference regarding Ireland has been hailed here with feelings of htpe hs well as relief I, is true that Prime Minister Lloyd George has made clear that Britain suzerainty is a defacto condition in the situation, but that need be no bar to an agreement if the repre- sentatives of both sides wil get down to a consideration of the practical iss1es involved.
 The real ambition of the Sim Fein is united and self-governed Ire land.
 Can Irish rationalism be given due expression within the empire, and II go can the road be cleared at the coming conference for the ultimate met ging of the north with the south? These are t}ae two main questions In regard to the first, l believe that des,,ite recent aistory, sentiment as well as interest will determine an af- frn,atiye rep:f. Irish children are growing up in possession of com mon heritage Of tradition with the British race.
 All of this tells against separation of Ireland from the Empire. Ana now as to the question of interest
  ance of their country, would in Great Britain be aliens in an alien lana and no longer able to share in de- termination of British public policy Irefand's best market would De ieopardized and the country would start itssnew career handicapped by a forfeiture of the many social anleties which have come to 1t in re- cent years in common with other q udn
 The Main Difficulty
 The second question really consti- futes the main difficulty. How can haven be made for Irish unity? To Ulster there may come great op- portunity Sir James Craig has Just expressed in the belief as the Parlia- ment his willingness to take part Tn the barley. This is very hopetui sign. He said few weeks ago that after settlement between Great Britain and southern Ireland he would be willing to discuss with Dublin matters of common concern Why not discuss these matters as mart of the settlement? That way lies the biz view. Will Ulster rise to it? If Sim Fein makes 1t possible by the character of tlhe proposals IL puts forward and the spirit in whlch it submits them. It would be madness and political blundering on the par. of Irishmen to jeopardize settlement now by mere narrow sectionalism on the one hand or by pushing extreme theoretical claims on the other.
 One essential to success IS re moval of the Irish mistrust of Great Britain. Irishmen may welcome the sincerity of British statesmanship governed by the past. But 1t is mat ter of fact that British democracs is not a little ashamed of the pas. and is genuinely apprehensive or tne possibility of recurrence or the re cent horrors. We are prepared now to p,eet Sim Fein at least half way