Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-07-14
BY MILTON

BY MILTON N Eh.
LONDON. July 14.-If conferences
now progressing bring peace in Ire.
land. the result will be due to this
most varying set Of influences in the
history of great world events:
FIRST-The grim resolve of the
bulk of Irishmen to follow De VAL
era's lead.
SECOND-King Georges determi-
nation to pacify Ireland il possible.
THIRD-The growing dismay of
the British taxpayers at the enor-
mou sums spent in depressing Ire
land without coming any nearer to
a settlement.
FOURTH-The growing discomfort
in the British army at the work.
FIFTH-The publicity campaign
of the Northcliffe press, urging the
olive branch be extended to Ireland.
SIXTH-The pressure exerted by
the premiers Of British independent
dominions who saw peace possible
in Ireland only If the Irish were CIV
IN independence within the empire
similar to Canada and Australia.
SEVENTH-The influences of
America. reinforced by every promi-
nent American whom Lloyd George
has met in the past few month in
CluuAilS 0SOi &c IldA tSy, inn La
mont and Bernard Baruch. All are
supposed to have told him that there
was a slim chance of Anglo-Ameri-
can approachment while Ireland was
oppressed.
Many here who are we'll informed,
however, look upon King George as
the real hero in the situation. The
cabinet has been divided on the Irish
question for a long time. Churchill
and the Lord Chancellor being count
ed among those who wish concilia-
tory methods. while the premier is
supposed to have sided with the ma
jority that believed in more military
force.
The king really forced action on
the Irish question by his insistency
in the famous speech he delivered in
Belfast June 20, when he opened the
Ulster parliament.
His plea to Irishmen to forgive
and forget and to join in making
Ireland a land of peace. contentment
and good will profoundly stirred
England.
The premier. quick to ems what
the public was thinking. jumped in
on June "a. with a message to De
Valera, 1.-THE chosen leader of the
great majority in southern Ireland"
asking him to come to London for a
conference with himself and Sir
James Craig, the first Ulster premier.
On June 2S De Valera accepted,
but insisted that all Irish leaders
first ought to meet in Dublin to set
tie the Irish differences on Irish soil.
Craig declined, but the invitation
was accepted by southern Ireland.
headed by Lord Middleton, great
Tnru nn1iftoion uyhn ia cIInnncnd t0
have been influenced by his sister.
For years she has worked to allie
viate the distress of the peasantry
and sympathized with their aspira-
lions.
The government showed it's good
intentions by beginning to release
Sim Fem leaders from prison,
among them Arthur Grifiths, vice
president of Dali Eireann, the Sin
Fein parliament.
American Independence Day may
be forever a memorable date in Irish
history because, while thousands of
Irishmen waved the American flag
in Dublin. De Valera and Grifiths
met Southern Unionists on that day
at the Mansion House there.
Among the other things proposed
was a truce between the fighting
forces. This finally was agreed up
on July 8 and was made effective
July II. General McReady, COM
manding the crown military forces
signed for the government, while
the signer for Sim Fem was Mich
ael Collins, the picturesque, dare.
devil commander of the Irish Re-
publican Army, for whom crown
forces had been vainly searching for
more than two years.
A romantic touch was added to
the proceedings by the fact that
General SHUTS, Boer premier of
South Africa. who once fought hi
tain, was instrumental in arrang-
ing for the reception of De Valera,
Collins, Grifiths and the other
"rebC's."
SHUTS owes his great influence
here to the tact that he has recon
ciled Beers to British rule. by en-
phasizing the freedom they have
under the dominion form Of govern
ment. He insisted that the same
thing a be done with Ireland if it
is similarly given control Of its own
affairs.
Responsible Irishmen think cur
rent events completely Justify the
five year campaign started by the
Sim Fem with the Easter uprising
of 1915. The next high SPOT in
Irish history came in May, 1917.
when Lloyd George proposed settle
ment of the Irish question by hav-