Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-08-13
|DE VALERA'S REPLY
| IS BEFORE MEETING
OF CABINET TODAY
Document Is Declared Vague
and Susceptible of Many
interpretations.
GOVERNMENT OPTIMISTIC:
PRESS VIEW Is REVERSE
Contents of Note From Irish
Leader IS Still Closely
Guarded.
TRUCE WE'LL MAINTAINED
British and Irish Negotiations Arc
TO Continue Uninterrupted by
Renewal of Clashes.
RUCE WE'LL MAINTAINED
British and Irish Negotiations Arc
TO Continue Uninterrupted by
Renewal of Clashes.
Hr Pcrcr Snrl.

United News Staff Correspondent.
LONDON: Aug: is.-Enmonn es
VHierTs reply to Lloyd deorse's
peace terms, learn from IN author
stntive source. Goes not include a
demand for the reic1se of the rank
md file OF th- Irish Republican army
some 5000 strong. now held in Be.t-
'sh prisons and tnternmcnt camps
while tt has been variously h,n.c1
that the Slim Fcin answer 60 Tho
hrtsish Sovernment-Darticularly az
ter the success of the drive to efe.cl
the reieasc of John i. McKeown-in-
eluded the proposal that all members
ot ehe militant Irish organization be
given amnesty, such proposal, .he
United News is informed, does not
form part OF De valera's counter
demands"
Deem II an Act of Justice.
IL Is known. OF course, that leaders
OF Sim Fein would consider II moth
Ing less than an "act of justice" TO
set free all Irish prisoners, and that
pressure is being brought TO bea-
daily upon headquarters to present
arm demand to the British Cabinet
to that effect.
The exact oontonts of Do Valera,s
noto are still hold as closely secret
as IL was tho momont II was handed
to Austen Chamberlain ut Downing
Street.
Tho newspapers, perhaps on infor-
nation, perhapa on moroysurmise. as
TO tho contents OF De Vaiera's note.
agree that tho government regards
the note as seriously discouraging.
Some OF tho papers term II "rejec-
ton OF the British proposal, declar-
Ing that 1t demands full recognition
OF the Independence OF Ireland.
Reply Declared Vague.
In other quarters the reply Is de-
clarcd to be vague and susceptible
TO several interpretations OF Its I'M
portant paragraphs and In this pc
culiarity seems to be the principal
hope that ultimately the points can
be reconciled.
The summoning of Lord Fitzalan
and General Sir Neville Macrcady Is
regarded as an ominous development.
The Daily News, which Is sympa-
thetic with Ireland. says. It fears
that the Irish are playing with fire."
Cabinet Meets Today.
The situation apparently hinges
upon what action the British Cabinet
will take when It meets tomorrow
to hear the details of the Slnn Fe.n
answer. Those who arc closely in
touch with the entire affair are ex-
ceedingly optimistic. and the belief
is freely expressed that whatever new
proposals may have been urged by
the Sim Fein president in his latest
communication to Lloyd George, they
will be met In conciliatory attitude
by the government
The negotiations are still con-
tinuing," they declare, ''and what
could be n better indication that we
arc making progress towards the
hoped-for end?"
Truce hut Once Threatened.
The truce, rigorously observed by
both sides and now accepted as a
matter of fact by the people OF Ire
land. has been threatened but once
and that one time through n blunder
of Dublin Castle. when release OF
Commandant Mckeown was refused.
The feeling over this action, which
rose to high pitch for day OF two.
has now subsided. and nothing has
since arisen to threaten the present
peaceful conditions