Norwich bulletin., 1921-09-05

90 Prime Minister Lloyd Georges latest Communication rejects the British gov Rrnment's proposaK for settlement of the Irish question ons the ground that they are not based on a dominion stat us for Ireland. It leaves the way open for further negotiatiens however. by of dering to at once appoint pleipotenti- aries on the basis of the principle Of government by consent of the govern ed
 The Irish republican reply, which is addressed to Mir Lloyd George and signed by Ramon De alera, was given put at No. 10 Downing Street, the prime minister's official residence to- night. IL says the differences between Great Britain and Ireland can only be reconciled on the principle of govern nlent by consent of the governed, and Dn this basis we aredy at once to a2- point pianipotentiarieS" The text of the communication reads:
 We. too. are convinced it is essen tial that some definite and immediate progress should be made coward a basis upon which further negotiations can usefully proceed, and recognize the fu- tility of a mere exchange of argumen- fsiive notes. l shall therefore refrain from commenting the fallacious his toricai references in your Inst commur ication. The present is the reality with which we have to deal.
 The conditions of today are the re- Eultant of the past, accurately sum Saoning it up and giving in simplest form the essential data of the problem. These data are:
 Desires of People of Ireland
 First: the people of Ireland. ac- acknowledging no voluntary union with Great Britain and claiming as theIr fundamental and natural right to cdoose freely for themselves the path they Ehail take to realize their national des- tiny. have by an overwhelming major fty. declared for independence and tc 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 forbds separaticn.
 The circumstances of the supposed contract are notorious. Yet on the theory of it's validity, the British gov ernment and parliament claimed to rule and legislate for Ireland, even to the point of partitioning Irish territory against the will of the Irish people and killing or casting into prison evers Irish citizen who refuses allegiance rhe proposals your government sub- mitted in the draft of July 20 are bas- Hd fundamentally on the latter prem lses. We rejected these proposals and sur rejection is irrevocable. They are not an invitation to Ireland to enter Int. a freq and willing partnership witl C. free nations of the British common ua.ith Tnfy a~a an invitation to Ire land to eat..a n the grse of and und Pr condition. which determine sta.r' d. nitely .9G.r r to that of these O these free s.ates.
 Canada, Australia, South Africa ant Ne.s Zealanl ail are guaranteed agains domination of the major state. not onll by acknowledged constitutional right which give the meuality of status witt Great Britain and absolute freedom fro mthe control of the British parlia nent, but by the thousands of mile which separate them from Great Brit ain. Ireland would have guarantee neither of distance nor of right. Tn conditions sought to be imposed woul' divide her into two artificial states each destructive of the others in1uenc In any common council and both sub feet 10 military, naval and ecOnomt control by the British government.
 Ire main historical and geogrsphi eai aEcts are no ia dispute, but you Fcvznmcnt insis.s en view ng taef lrri,i your standooin. and we must l.
 
 History you interpret as dictating unio be read as dictating separation. Gu Interpretation of the fact of 'geograph ral propinuity' is no less diametrical- opposed. We are convinced that our the true and just interpretation an IS proof are willing that a neutral an hnrartial arbitrator should be the juGs' Ecu refuse and threaten to give effec b vour view by force. Our reply mus
 VI an only resist as generations betor IS have resisted. Force will not solv nh rroblem and # will never secure th ht i-ste victory over reason and riEh Thrests of Force Must be Set Aside If you again resort to force, and hctory he not on the side of justic be problem that eonfronts us will COT ront cur successors. The fact that fc 50 years the problem has resisted sc ntion by force is evidence and warnin n,iic.snt. It is true wisdom, therefor nd true statesrranship, not any fal' Rcalisul, that prompts me and my co ssEuas. Threats of force must be 8 Bide. They must be set aside frol be beginning as well as during actu; snduct of the negotiations. "T'he respective plentipotentiarf. lust meet untrsmmeled by any cond lnns save the facts themselves, ar fusr he prepared to reconcile subs r=nt differences, not by appeals brce covert or open. but by referenC } some guiding principle on which thel ! common agreement. We have pr' psed the principle of government I bnsent of the governed, and do n besn 1t as a mere phrase. It is
 snple expression of the test to whiC by proposed solution must respond
 Is to prove adequate and 1t can l sed as the criterion for the detail waa as for tha whole What yc airr is as a Pec c,iiarly British prine h ins.:tated by the British and no le very lie of the British commo ssi.h' sAould make it peculiarly a p.ahie 70 yor
 .c7 .,lis lr sis, and this only. we S pc ef -econciling the consideration hich must govern the attitude"
 Feat Br'fain's representatives with tI nsiderations that must govern the a tude of T-e'and's representatives al this basis we are ready at once