New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-08
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All parts Of the kingdom, more than
half their number having travelled dur
ing the night from London.
1t has been many day since Inver-
ness had had an opportunity Of seeing
80 many famous persons. and appar-
entity the whole Highlands had declared
. holiday, for the streets were crowded
with motorbuses and other vehicles
filled with Scotsmen from far and
hear.
To-day's meeting was the first sas-
sion of the British Cabinet held in In
verness in two centuries, and the event
will be remembered here as long as
this generation lives. In sharp con-
trast, however, with the excitement
that attended De valera's first visit to
Downing Street when the Irish nego-
tiations were begun, there was only a
mild demonstration when Lloyd George
entered the hall. The police opened q
way through the streets, and the Pre-
mier, his head bare, acknowledged the
cheers with wave of the hand and q
broad smile He seemed exceedingly
buoyant as he greeted his ministers,
who had travelled up from London.
The whole Cabinet gathered around
the council table, with General Sir
Nsvil Macready and General Tudor,
who are responsible for the military
situation in Ireland, remaining in the
nnteroom, along with viceroy FitzAlan.
The Premier reviewed the negotia-
tions thus far and then presented his
views regarding De Valera's last note.
He expressed the opinion that the ne
gotiations should be continued and de-
clarcd that another conference with
the Sim Fein leaders should be held,
provided the Dali Eireann accepted
the offer of dominion status as the
basis for discussion of the terms of
settlement.
When Lloyd George had finished,
members of the Cabinet gave their
views on the desirability of imposing
time limit in which Sim Fein should
accept or reject the British proposals.
The discussion continued without in
corruption until luncheon time, when
the meeting was adjourned until the
afternoon.
The Premier apparently was anxious
to obtain a unanimous decision, though
his ministers were far from being in
agreement among themselves as to the
policy which should be pursued. Sup
porting the Premier were Sir Eric
Campbell Geddes, Minister of Trans
port; e. S. Montagu, Secretary for
India; Sir Hamar Greenwood, Sir AL
fred Mond, Minister of Health; with
Lord Birkenhead, the Lord High Chan
cellor; and Winston Churchill opposed,
and Austen Chamberlain and Sir Rob-
ert S. Horne, Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, taking a middle position.
When the ministers paused in their
deliberations and went to luncheon
they were talking and laughing to-
gether as if all were enjoying their
visit to the Highlands.
DUBLIN, Sept. (By The Associated
Press .-Word from Inverness that the
British Cabinet had appointed a COM
mittee to- deal with Mr.. de Valera's
reply lends strength to the optimism In
Dublin that the negotiations will not be
broken. Members of the Sim Fein con-
tinue to profess confidence in the ulti-
mate results and declare that they do
not expect renewal of the warfare.
While there has been little public
criticism here of the method of con-
Quoting the negotiations, some of the
Sim Feiners have expressed themselves
in private that while they realize Mr..
de Valera is striving for the best set
Element possible, there has been over
much weight attached to what they con-
slider non-essentials, such as naval and
air service arrangements. In their
opinion more attention should be given
to freedom of trade, for which Ireland
Is anxious, and to the questions of Ire
lands share in the national debt and
Ireland's contribution to the imperial
treasury. On all these matters, it is
pointed out. there is a possibility of
bargaining with the British govern
ment.
The Sim Fein publicity department
to-day pointed out that some of the
headlines and headings of paragraphs
in American newspapers referred to De
Valera refusing dominion status and
holding out for separation, whereas
his actual position, it is maintained, is
that a dominion status has not been
offered, and therefore could not be re-
fused