Pueblo chieftain., 1921-11-26
BREAKD0WNOF
IRELAND PEACE
PLAN LOOMING
Sim F Fein Refuses to Swear
Allegiance to British
King

London, England. Nov. 25.-(By The
Associated Press.)-What is feared to
be the last scene In the effort to
bring peace to Ireland. was enacted to-
day when Prime Minister Lloyd
4 George and Sir James craig. met in
the formers official residence In
Downing street. where the premier
told the head OF tho northern govern
ment that Sim Fein Ireland had not
consented to allegiance to tho king. a
prequisite to listers agreement to
enter an all-Ireland parliament.
| The Sim Fein delegates are con-
sultinS with members OF the cabinet
in Dublin on the crisis thus brought
about while Sir James packed his bag
and returned to Belfast where he will
report to his parliament next Tues
day and possibly disclose the cause of
virtual breakdown Of the Irish nsgo-
tiation. The official correspondence
that has passed between the various
delegations may be published at the
same time in London
| Weekend efforts meanwhile will be
made by peace-makers in an attempt
| to persuade the Sim Fein to modify
Its attitude OH the question OF
allesiance to the king. The Dali
oath of allegiance I" the Irish repub-
lie and thus far they have refused to
substitute for its recognition in Ire
land OF King George. The further
concessions from the Sim Fsins has
been their willingness to recognize the
king as the formal president of tho
committee OF free nations which Ire
land might choose voluntarily to join
but even this was not definitely
| promised.
Lord Chancellor Birkenhead and
Attorney General Hewa.t. law off,
GERS of the crown have ransacked the
constitutions of nll the British
dominions to find any precedent for
| tho only kind of relationship with the
| British crown that Sim Fein will con-
slider. but. nothing can be found and
the Evening News. the first London
newspaper to Indicate the real cause
of the crisis. suggests that the rcla
tlons of Bavaria with Prussia in the
German empire might furnish such q
precedent. But MIR. Lloyd George, It
Is understood. would not admit Of any
arrangement which would leave Ire
lands allegiance to the crown in any
doubt and the government would sup
port Ulster In. refusing any association
which would weaken Its British citi-
| zership.
I The only prospect for peace now IL
said TO rest on Sim Feins concedinE
allegiance to the crown and tho in
flucncc OF the advocates or moderation
has been invoked In final effort to
change its position. The question Is
being put As to whether tho point in
eolved Is worth renewed warfare for
a breakdown OF tho negotiations on
| that issue. II is believed would be fol-
lowed either before or after the Geu-
eral election by tho handing over OF
Ireland to military rule and the dis
| placement of tho civilian officials in
Dublin castle to those to whose In
f1ucuce Is attributed the previous fall
ure of military measures. All along
tho Sim Fein delegates have held the
belief that no matter what tho result
OF the negotiations might be the Brit
ish public would oppose the employ
ment of the military: nnd In this they
have the support of yormer Premier
Asauith who. at meeting of the lib
eral federation today said tho Liberal
party had not reccded from any pledge
given against tho forcible coercion OF
the Ulster minority. At tho same time
he asked all liberals to assent to the
proposition that 1t was equally true
that they were not going to be parties.
at the instance or for the sake Of
corner of Ulster TO tho coercion of ths
great mass OF Irish people.