The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-19

The Ulster leader maintains
 that the Sinn Feiners themslevex
 by contesting the elctions for the
 northern Parliament on a pIat-
 form of "No partitioB," in which
 they were rOundIy defeated, have
 recognized Listers claim to self
 determination, and So far as hI.
 words have been interpreted for
 the present. he seems to wash his
 hands of any further participa-
 ton In the peace negotiations.
 Sir James said;
 T return home well satis fled with the efforts being made to- ward peace Mir DeValera has brok- en his silence and cleared the ground by his statement to the press that he proposes to found his claim on recos snition of the right of self-de- termination"
 Already Determined
 The Ulster premier contended that the people of northern Ireland in the recent elections "determined', 1h'ii sOWH Dy an over whelming majority. No partition" in fact, was the only issue placed before the electorate, said Sir James, and 1t was rejected by the largest majority ever secured in any general election.
 Such being the true facts" he continued. 1t now only remains for MT, DeValera and the British people to come to terms regarding the area outside of that of which 1 am prime minister. The people of northern Ire- land make no claim whatever to de- termine' the terms of settlement which Great Britain shall make with southern Ireland.
 When this is accomplished, I can promise cordial cooperation an equal terms with southern Ireland in any matter affecting our common iAtas-4 est.
 Having reached the present staHe return to Ireland to carry on tAS practical work of the governmesesfl feel that GU interests are ably sp resented in the imperial Parlian eils. and, of course, our services aft available at any moment"
 The official announcement issuca at the close qf long conference tween thf piaa ana At EiNw ~r today sa
 The coas safies netwSca Lloyd GeVree aaa Nf Devasera lg be resumed har aAs
 Dampsa a tssvtssl splrs This ordinary would 3ertnt tie British public and Irelaad still to sn- dulge in confident hope that q satls- factory settlement would ultimately be reached. But Sir James CraiSas statement, which was given out in the form of an interview has put a damper on the hopeful spirit Nothing IS allowed to leak out as to what takes place behind the closed doors of the cabinet room and Ihe secrecy even extends to a tacit agree mont to put no questions on the suo- ject in Parliament. The negotiations, in fact, have all the character or diplomatic exchanges between two foreign diplomats,
 Though 1t had been thought pos sble from the first that Ulster might adopt such an attitude. this sudden dashing of hopes that peace con ference would be assembled as an outcome ef the separate negotiations of the prime minister with DeValera and Craig comes somewhat as a shock to the public
 The Ulster premier declared blunt ly that the British government must reach it's own agreement with De Valera and that Ulster is determined to maintain it's present status thus repudlating the whole Sim Feln argument that Ulster is in the minor ity, and must bow to the majority in Ireland
 There Is some hope, however, that when MT. Lloyd George meets Mir, Devalera again Thursday he may be 1 able by some means to rescue the negotiations from the apparent dead-