The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-10-03

their readiness to cooperate with one
another An open breach in the Irish
question about the time the Washington
conference begins would be regarded here
AZ most unfortunate. The prospect of a
settlement, ON the other hand, creates
even more hopefulness for the larger
gathering here of the great powers. With
the removal of the single cloud on An
glo-American relations, the Washington
government will be in a better position to
reach an understanding with the British
government on matters of worldwide
concern.
United States Interested
Incidentally the task of reconciling
Ireland's national aspirations with the
association of nations known as the Brit
lSh empire INVOLVES so many points of vi
tai interest to the United States that the
solution reached will be carefully stud
led. For instance, the various dominions
of the British empire have since the war
exhibited national consciousness which
has manifested itself first i'm a desire to
be represented as nations in the assembly
of the league of nations and, second in
the insistence of several dominiOns that
the British government should not renew
the AnglO-Japanese alliance. 1t is in
deed reported that the Canadian premier
notified the British prime minister that
If the AnglO-JapaneSe alliance were re-
newed Canada might not consider herself
bound by the action. That's an example
of how far the national aspirations of
part of the British empire might con-
tlict with an imperial foreign policy, and
if Great Britain gives to one of her do
miniOnS a voice in foreign policy she will
be obliged to grant the same privileges
to others.
National Status
,Rumors have reached here that Ea-
monn DeNalera will insist upon ma
tipnal status in the sense of membership
in the assembly of the league of nations
alongside the other British dominions
The whole basis of the discussion between
Prime Minister Lloyd George and Mr.
DeNalera involves the grant to Ireland
of certain opportunities to make her in
Thence felt in international councils as
we'll as in getting domestic autonomy
While there is no such thing as a
consensus of. opinion in official quarters
on such delicate thing as the Irish
problem, dominant view is that LLOYD
George has cleverly renewed the nego-
tiatiOnS with the Sim Fein without caus-
ing either side to seem to be surrender
ing its major demand. Such information
as trlckleS in from reliable sources, how
ever, indicates that the British prime
minister is determined not to grant abSo-
lutte independence to Ireland and that
the Sim Fem leaders now are convinced
their wish will not be granted in these
negotiations. The hope ots solution lies
in Il referendum by the people. who are
50 weary of warfare that they are said
Ia be- ready to approve the settlement
which the British government is prepar-
ing to offer. The Irish leaders who are
comm tied To national independence may
be reluctant to accept, but would. of
course, have to bow to the will of the
people The prospects are brighter than
ever that the British empire and the
United States will enter the conference
here on November II better friends than
they have been in recent months.