Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-19
WALSH WILL URGE
IRISH COMPROMISE
American Who Advised De Va
Iera Going to London to
Attend Conference
U. S. FAV0RS CANCELLATION
by CLINTON W. GILBERT
star Correspondent Evening Public Ledscr

Copyright. 1871. BY Public LEDGER Co.
Washington. July 10. - Frank +.
Walsh, formerly Of thc War Labor
Board. who has been cd Nalera's chief
adviser In this country. will sail Tor
England Friday to take part in the
conferences there upon the Irish ques-
tion. Mr.. Walsh will probably be an
influence for compromise. His presence
In England will probably counteract the
influence of the extremists like Judge
Cohalan, who are insisting that De
Valera should accept nothing short OF
the complete independence Of Ireland.
American opinion is most important
faCtor In the Irish conferences. Neither
Lloyd George nor De Valera wishes to
mike the mistake Of taking an extreme
position which will ALLEVIATE American
support. And Mr.. Walsh will probably
play an important part in advising DE
Valera just how far he can go without
losing the sympathy which the Irish
cause has in the United States.
What is making for compromise of
tbs dispute Is Oh tho one side the de-
sire of the British Government to re-
move the great political obstacle to close
GO operation between this country arl
England md the knowledge upon the
part Of the Irish leaders that they have
thus far failed to carry public opinion
in this country to the support of the
complete independence Of Ireland.
Seek to Dodge Blame
If the conferences between Lloyd
George and DE Valera fail to produce
an agreement, each leader will desire
to place the blame Of failure upon tho
other 80 as to affect American opinion
fn, -aht 4 Al.
mowers of the conference. With this
end in view Mr.. Walsh will have n
voice.
The Irish cause made progress III thia
country so long ns the Irish. Americans
were united. But with the split which
came when De Valera. who was here.
insisted upon directing tho Irish move
ment here ns well as in Ireland. il be.
gan to lose ground. The older lenders
OF the Irish in America. of whom Jus
t'ce Cohalan was the chief. split away
from De Nalora's leadership. and Mr..
Walsh became the chief adviser of the
IRISH here.
The diSunion of the Irish here weak q.
ened tho propaganda and some Of the
e1tremc methods of De Valern's rcp-
resentatlvGs In thi: country after his
return to ireland alicnated public opin :
Ion. tEc eliminating mistake being the
association Of the Irish with the Ger
mans in the protest against the French
| occupation of certain Rhine regions,
held in Madison Square Garden, New
York. last spring.
Must BE Conciliatory
II De Valera should not show a
| spirit of reasonable compromise in the
present conferences there is little chance
1 that rho ITish
make headway in America. This fact
Is 80 plain that 1t cannot have ESCAPED
the Irish leaders, attention. 1t is prob
ably as an adviser upon the state of
American opinion that he wants Mr..
| Walsh in London.
If, on the other hand. Lloyd George
should fail TO do his utmost TO satisfy
the reasonable demands of the Irish
! the relations between this country and
Great Britain will be once more com :
| plicated. The Administration will hesi :
tate In its plans for CO. operation with
the British. Even the coming confer
ence upon the Far East and upon dis.
armament will be unfavorably affected.
The problem would be much simpli
| fled II tho issue were one directly be @.
| tween the Sim Fein leader and the
British Premier. Both are undcr a GER
tain compulsion to show reasonable
ness in the conference. The third Gle
ment in the situation is under no such
| compulsion. II the north of Ireland
leaders make peace impossible there is
no effective way in which American
public opinion can hold them rcspon :
sible. They conduct no important
propaganda in this country. No rela .
tOns between them and the United
| States are AT stake.
In the event of Ulster proving recal
| citrant. Lloyd George can throw up his
| hands and say that he cannot control
| II. And De Valera will assert that he
went as far as he could in making con :
ccssions in order to secure the adhesion
Of lister and the battle will once moro
begin for American support.
II DE Valera makes no mistakes. OBJ =
stinacy on the part Of Ulster will oper-
ate rather against the English Govern
mcnt than against him in American
eyes. listers political relations are
with the Tory section OF Lloyd George =
support and some presumption will exist
that the Lloyd George coalition has
some influence over the North Ire
landers.
Every one here in Washington hopes
70 zee the present conference succeed
The De Valera followers are mostly
tired of the struggle ana hope for Il
compromise. The politicians, especially
the Republicans. scr only difficulties in
its continuance, since events are fore
Ing this country into closer relations
with the British Government which have
! their dangers so long as the Irish Ques-
| ti0n is unsettled. Eat no one here pre- =
tends 10 guess what lister will do.