The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-09-07
The IRISH
DEMAND FULL
INDEPENDENCE
De Valera Declares
That Rejection Of
British Proposals
is IrreVocable

Prime Minister LLOYD George Id
test communication rejects the
British governments proposals for
settlement of the Irish question on
the ground that they are not based
on a dominion status for Ireland.
It leaves the way open for further
negotiations, however, by offering
at once tosappoint plenipotentiaries
on the basis Of the principle of gov
ernment by consent Of the govern
ed.
The reply which is addressed to
Mr.. Lloyd George and signed by
Eamonn De Valera was given out
at the prime minister's official res
idence tonight The text Of the
communication follows:
we, too, are convinced it is es-
sential that some definite and i'm
mediate progress should be made
toward a basis upon which further
negotiations can successfully pro-
ceed and recognize the futility OF
a mere exchange" of argumentative
notes. I shall, therefore. refrain
from commenting on the fallacious
historical references in your last
communication. The present is the
reality with which we have to deal
1.-The conditions of today are the
reultant of the past. Accurately
summing up and giving in simplest
form the essential data of the
problem, these data are:
First: The people Of Ireland.
acknowledging no voluntary union
with Great Britain and claiming as
their fundamental and natural
right to choose freely for them
selves the path they shall take to
realize their national destiny. have,
by an overwhelming majority, de-
clared for independence and to set
up a republic and more than once
have confirmed their choice.
Second: Great Britain, on the
other hand. acts as though Ireland
were bound to her by contract OF
union that forbids separation.
The circumstances Of the sup
posed contract are notorious. Yet,
on theory of it's validity, the British
government and parliament claim
ed to rule and legiSlate for Ireland,
even to the point of partitioning
Irish territory against the Will OF
the Irish people and killing or cast
ing into prison every Irish citizen
who refuses allegiance. The pro-
posals your government submitted
in the draft of July 20, are based
fundamentally on the latter prom
ises. We rejected those proposals
and our rejection is irrevocable.
.rhey are not an invitation to Ire
land to enter into a free and Will
ing partnership with the free ma
tions Of the British commonwealth.
They are an invitation TO Ireland
to enter into the guise Of, and un-
der conditions which determine a
status definitely inferior to that OF
these free states.
Canada, Australia, South Africa
and New Zealand all are guaran-
teed against domination Of the ma
ior state, not only by acknowledge
ed constitutional rights which give
them equality Of status with Great
Britain and absolute freedom from
the control Of the British parlla-
ment, but by the thousands OF miles
which separate them from Great
Britain. Ireland would have guar
antees neither of distance nor OF
right. The conditions sought to
be imposed would divide her into
two artificial states, each destruc-
tive of the others influence in any
common council, and both subJecs
to military and naval and eco
nomic control by the British gov
ernment.
THE main historical and geo.
graphical facts are not in dispute.
but YOUR government insists on
viewing them from your stand
point and we must be allowed to
view them from ours. The his
tory you interpret as debating
union we read as debating sep2ra-
ton. Our interpretation Of the
fact of geographically propin-
ouity is no less diametrically OPP
posed. We are convinced that ours
is the true and just Interpretation
and as proof are wiling that neu-
trail and impartial arbitrator should
be the Judge. You refuse and
threaten to give effect to your view
by force. Our reply must be that
ii YOU adopt that course we can
only resist as generations before us
have resisted. Force will not solve
the problem and it will never Sc
cure the ultimate victory over rea-
son and right.
If you again resort to force,
and if victory be not on the side OF
Justice, the problem that confronts
us will confront our successors. The
fact that for $50 years the prob
lem has resisted solution by force
is evidence and warning sufficient.
It is true wisdom. therefore, and
true craftsmanship and not any
false idealism. that prompts me
and N.Y. colleagues. Threats OF
force must=be set aside. They must
be set aside from the beginning
as well as during actual conduct OF
the negotiations.
The respective plenipotentiaries
must meet untrammeled by any