New-York tribune., 1921-08-15

ancient hatred and distrust which have
disfigured our common history for
"The future of Ireland within the
commonwealth is for the Irish people
to shape. In the foregoing proposals
tho British government have attempted
no more than broad outline of set
tlement, the details OF which they
leave for discussion when the Irish
people have signified their acceptance
of the principle Of this pact"
The document is signed by David
Lloyd George.
On August 10 Eamon de Valera ad
dressed the following communication
to Mr.. Lloyd George:
Sir: On the occasion of our last
interview | gave it as my Judgment
that the Dali Eireann could not, and
the Irish people would not. accept the
proposals of your government, set
forth in draft July 20. Having con-
suited my colleagues. and with them
given these proposals most earnest
consideration, now confirm that judg-
ment.
Draft Held Contradictory
"The outline given in the draft is
self-contradictory and the principle
OF the pact not easy to determine. To
the extent that it implies recognition
of Ireland's separate nationhood and
her right to elf-determination, we ap-
preciate and accept it.
but IN the stipulations and express
conditions concerning vital matters the
principle is strangely set aside and y
claim advanced by your government to
an interference in our affairs and to q
control which we cannot admit.
"lreland's right to choose for herself
the path she shall take to realize her
own destiny must be accepted as in
defeasible. 1t is right that has been
maintained through centuries of op-
at the cost of unparalleled
sacrifices and untold sufferings. We
cannot propose to abrogate or impair
1T, nor can Great Britain or any other
foreign state or group of states claim to
interfere with its exercise in order to
serve their own special interests"
Declaring that it Is Ireland's desire
to be free of imperial entanglements
which will prove destructive of Irish
ideals and be fruitful only of ruinous
wars and crushing taxation, Mr.. de
Valera says.
Like the small states of Europe, the
Irish people are prepared to hazard
their independence on the basis of
moral right, confident that as they
would threaten no nation or people
they would, in turn, be free from ag-
gression themselves"
Friendship in Separation
Asserting that this is the policy that
Irishmen have declared for in plebi-
scite, Mr.. de Valera continues:
"As for myself and my colleagues,
our deep conviction is that true friend
ship with England, which military CO.
ercioh has frustrated for centuries,
can be obtained most readily now
through amicable but absolute separa-
tion. The fear, which we believe ground
less, that Irish territory may be used
as the basis for attacks upon England s
liberties can be met by reasonable
guarantees not inconsistent with Irish
sovereignty"
Mr.. de Valera declares that do
minion status for Ireland is illusory.
He says the freedom the British do
minions enjoy is less the result of
legal enactments or treaties than of
the immense distances which separate
them from Great Britain and make in
terference by Great Britain imprac-
ticable.
THE most explicit guarantees, in
cluding the dominions' acknowledged
right to secede," Mr.. de Valera con-
tinues, would be necessary to secure
for Ireland an equal degre of freedom.
There is no suggestion, however, in the
proposals made of any such guaranty.
Instead. the natural position is re-
versed. Our geographical situation
with respect to Great Britain is made
the basis of denials and restrictions
unheard of in the case of dominions
The smaller island must give military
safeguards and guarantees to the
larger and suffer itself to be reduced
to position of helpless dependency.
Association Not Wholly Denied
"Obviously we are unable to urge
acceptance of such proposals upon our
people. A certain treaty of free asso-
clatlon with the British commonwealth
group, as with a partial league of ma
tlons, we would have been ready to
recommend, and, as government, to
negotiate and take responsibility for,
had we an assurance that the entry of
the nation as whole into such an
association would secure for it the
allegiance of the present dissenting
minority. To meet these sentiments
alone this step could be contemplated
Treaties dealing with proposals for
tree lnter-trade and mutual limitation
OF armaments we are ready at any time
to negotiate. Also mutual agreements
concerning air, railway and other com
munlcatlons, and generally for the
smooth commercial intercourse essen
tial to both nations. But all such
treaties and agreements we would re-
quire submitted for ratification, first
to the national legislature and after.
ward to the Irish people, in a manner
showing that their decision was a free
DECISION and without any element of
military compulsion."
Mr.: de Valera offers to leave the
question of Ireland's snare of the ma
tlonal debt to arbitrators, one each tc
be appointed by Ireland and Great
Britain and the third chosen by agree.
ment "or nominated, say. bv the Pres.
ldent of the United States" He de.
ciares that the question between the
poiitlcal minority and the great ma.
!orlty of the Irish people must be left
Tor the Irish people themselves to set.
tie. s~'
I'VE cannot admit the right of the
British government to mutilate ON
country, either in it's own interest of
at the call of any section of our popu-
iatlon," the letter continues.
Agrees That Force Is Futile
I'VE do not contemplate the employ.
ment of force If your governme en-,
stands aside we can effect complete
reconciliation. We agree with YOU thai
no common acton can be secured by
force. Our regret is that this wise and
true principle which your government
prescribes to us for the settlement OF
our local problems it seems unwilling
TO apply consistently to the Fundamental