The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-14
FIRST OFFICIAL LIGHT ON IRISH
 SITUATION GIVEN
Letter of Shuts to De Valera Officially Made Public, Shows How Far the
 Premier Has Gone
By Associated Pres.

London, August 13.-Official light upon the status of the Irish negc- tiations was given by the govern ment for the first time today in the form of letter written by Gen. Jan c. Shuts, the South African premier, to Ramon de Valera, the Irish republican leader. 1his let- ter, which is dated August 4, reveals that Premier Lloyd George offered the 26 Sim Fein counties complete dominion status, subject to certain strategic safeguards"
 It Is also shown by the text of the letter that Sir James Craig, the Ulster premier, has refused to nego- tiate with MT, DeValera, and that Ulster Is standing firm for retaining her present government.
 General shuts. however, urged
 the republican leader to accept
 dominion status and Ienye Ulster
 to join the south in her own
 tima as he believed that
 "through the successful running
 of the Irish state and the pull of
 economic forces" Ulster would be
 brought Into line.
 Force Out of Question
 Force as a solution of the prob lem," continued General Shuts, is out of the question both on your (DeVa- lera) and his (Craig) premises. The process of arriving at an agreement will. therefore, take time."
 General Smuts explained that for this reason he considered he could be of no further use at this stage os the negotiations, and therefore. was going home.
 Any solution on the lines of Ulster coming into an Irish state was fore doomed to failure at the present, he declared, as Ulster would not.agree to this and could not be forced.
 General Shuts urged Mr., De va- lera to leave Ulster alone at present and concentrate on free constitu- ton for the remaining 26 counties OF Ireland and through the successful running of the Irish state and the pull of economic and peaceful forces, eventually bring Ulster into that state"
 "As I said before" reiterated Gen. eral Shuts, q don't consider one single, clean-cut solution of the Irish question possible at present."
 Counts On Ulster Finally
 General Shuts, in the course of his letter said:
 Y believe 1t is in the interest of Ulster to come in, and that the force of tho community of interests will, over period of years, become so great and compelling that Ulster will, herself. decide to join the Irish state. Not only will she not consent now to come in but even if she does. the Irish state will, l fear, start under such handicap of internal friction and dlsordinance that the result may well be failure once more.
 The humble acceptance of facts fs often the only way of finally over coming them It proved so in the case of South Africa, where ultimate unity was only realized through sev- eral stages and the process of years. and where the republic as an ideal Tor which we made unheard of sac- rifices, had ultimately to give way to another form of freedom. My bel;ef IS that Ireland is travelling the same painful road as South Africa and with wisdom and moderation in leadership. Is destined to achieve no less sue cess.
 You say the republic is the true expression of national self -determfr ation, but 1t is not the only exnre.- sion and it means your final and ir- reparable severance from the British league. To this Parliament and peo- pie of this country will not agree. The prime minister has made you the offer Of another form of freedom, of dominion status. which is working
 tContinued on Page Ef~ht,