Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-09-10
MODERATE AND DEFINITE.

The rejoinder Of Premier Lloyd George to the
most recent note of the Sim sFeiIn organization is
moderate in tone and SO definite that there can Be
no misunderstanding Of / .n,eaning. The premier
has evidently taken great pains to couch his state
iment in language which would avoid giving offense
even to the most sensitive..# While it Is in effect an
Iultimatuna, and could not be otherwise, itsgexpres-
sion IS the most conciliatory possible, and instead Of
"a demand that the southern Irish leaders cease writ
ing letters and meet for conference, there is q mild
suggestion that enough letters have been written,
that more ca serve no useful purpose. and the Sim
tein leaders are courteously invited to attend a con-
ference with the, suggestion that this conference be
held on September 20.
Equally noticeable is the definiteness Of the
communication. There is no argument of a rfetor-
zeal character, nothing whatever except the one con-
dition that the discussion proceed on the basis Of Ire
land remaining within the empire. That was an
iiounced long ago by Mr.. Lloyd George as the sin
gle indispensable condition has been no de-
|Farture from that decision, and. it has been Under
stood by everyone that whatever decisions were
reached must be on this basis. With that basis ac-
|cepted, the whole field is open for discussion.
Whether Ireland remains in the British Empire.
enters 1t, or %re-enters it, is a subject with which the
world at large is not greatly concerned. The ques-
ton to be determined is whether for the future Ire
land shall be a part of the empire. If the decision on
this point is in the affirmative, each person will be
at liberty to determine for himself BY what means
that status has been reached. 1t will be a matter
OF little concern with the general public whether it
is a continuation Of = former state or the acceptance
OF a new one. There need be no quarrel between
those who hold contrary opinions on this subject.
The important thing is that in some way and on
some basis there shall be a peace which shall pro-
vide for the necessary comfort, security and pros
perlty OF all persons concerned.
In connection with the Irish question attention
may be called to a lengthy statement just issued by
Amos Pinchot, who has been more or less promi-
;nent in public affairs in this country for some time.
MIR: Pinchot is a pronounced advocate of Irish sepa-
ratism. He goes over the familiar Sim Fem argu-
ments, and adds that the deplorable condition of Ire
land and the unfairness with which she has been
treated is not to be charged against the British peo-
pie, but principally against unwise British rulers.
Mr.. Pinchot is not reading history Alright if he as
s'lr1es that the reason why Ireland has not been sep
arated from the British Empire is because of stiff
necked rulers and not at all because Of British pub
lc sentiment. 1.-The will recall the days Of Gladstone
he will remember that the Gladstone home rule bill,
which represented all that Ireland at that time de-
sired in the way of self-government, was proposed
by a British administration and upon.an appealbe-
ing made to the country on that issue, the Gladstone
administration was defeated and was compelled to
resign: Irish separatism has never had strong sup
port in British public sentiment 81