The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-03
BRITISH MOVE
IN IRISH ISSUE
PLEASES u. S.
Settlement Would Re-
rroDe Only Cloud
on Friendship.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright. 1920.
(Snecia1 tn Tho Argus


Washington. Oct. 3-Although
officially the Irish problem is pure
ly a domestic matter as between
Great Britain and Ireland the fact
is the agreement between Prime
Minister Lloyd George and Eamonn
de Valera to ented inco a personal
discussion on Oct. II of the Ques-
tions at issue has caused much
qualification here
For unquestionably the settle
ment OF the Irish problem will have
a bearing on the relations between
the United States and Great Brit
ain at the forthcoming Washington
conference. Practically all the
major problems whether they re-
late to the far east or the limita-
ton OF naval armament. turn upon
the intimacy of the British and
American governments and their
readiness to cooperate with one an
other. An open breach in the Irish
question about the time the Wash
ington conference begins would be
regarded here as most unfortunate.
The prospect of a settlement on the
other hand creates even more hope
fulness for the larger gathering
here of the great powers. With the
removal Of the single cloud on
Anglo American relations, the
Washington government will be in
a better position to reach an under
standing with the British govern
ment on matters of worldwide con-
Germ
Ireland Would Join League.
incidentally the task of reconciI-
ing Ireland's national aspirations
with the association of nations
known as the British empire in
wolves so many points of vital in
terest to the United States that the
solution reached will be carefully
studied. For instance, the various
dominions Of the British empire
have since the war exhibited a ma
tionai consciousness which has
manifested itself first in a desire TO
be represented as nations in the
assembly of the League OF Nations.
and second in the insistence OF sew
eral dominions that the British gov
ernment should not renew the
Angio-Japanese alliance
1t is indeed reported that the
Canadian premier notified the Brit
ish prime minister that if the An
glo-Japanese alliance were renew
ed. Canada might not consider her
self bound by the action. That's an
example of how far the national as
pirations of a part of the British
empire might conflict with an i'm
perial foreign policy, and if Great
Britain gives to one of her domin-
ions a voice in foreign policy she
will be obliged to grant the same
privileges to others.
Rumor has reached here that Ea-
monn de Valera will insist upon "
national status in the sense of
membership in the assembly of the
League of Nations alongside the
other British dominions. The whole
basis of the discussion between
Prime Minister Lloyd George and
Mr.. De Valera involves the grant
to Ireland of certain opportunities
to make her influence felt in inter
national councils as well as in get
ting domestic autonomy.
Premier Thought Clever.
While there is no such thing as a
consensus in official circles on such
a delicate thing as the Irish prob
lem, a dominant view is that Lloyd
George has cleverly renewed the
negotiations with the Sim Fein
without causing either side to seem
to be surrendering its major de-
mand Such information as trick
les in from reliable sources, how
ever, indicates that the British
prime minister is determined not
to grant absolute independence to
Ireland and that the Sim Fein
leaders now are convinced their
wish will not be granted in these
negotiations. The hope of solution
lies in referendum by the people
who are so weary Of warfare that
they are said to be ready to ap-
prove the settlement which the
British government is preparing to
offer. The Irish leaders who are
committed to national independ-
ence may be reluctant to accept
but would of course have to bow
to the will of the people. The pros
poets are brighter than ever that
the British empire and the United
States will enter the conference
here on Nov. II better friends than
they have been in recent months.