The Washington times., 1921-07-19
LONDON HOPEFUL
/. IRISH PEACE IS
STILL POSSIBLE
Success OF Parleys Rests on De
vaIsra-LIoyd George Con-
ference Thursday.
By NEWTON c. PARKE.
international News Service.

LONDON, July 19.-While
hitch admittedly has arisen in the
Irish peace negotiations, hope was
still running high today that way
will yet be found to bring the dis
cordant elements of North and
South Ireland together.
Craig Out Of II.
For the present at least, Sir James
Craig. the Ulster premier. has re-
tired from the picture. leaving. he
said, canon de Valera. president of
the Irish republic, to make what set
Element he could with the British
government CraAS took his cabinet
and went back to Belfast.
1t is looked upon as a significant
and hopeful sisn. however. that do
Valera Is remaining In London and
George again on Thursday.
De Valera himself declined to COM
ment on the situation today. He
would express no opinion regarding
the action of the Ulsterites in re-
firing from the scene. At repnbli-
can headquarters the International
News Service correspondent was In
formed:
"It Is impossible for President dc
Valera to accept anything but recog-
milton a. an independent nation
Meanwhile negotiations were at
standstill today. Lloyd George con-
ferred with the dominion premiers.
The general impression prevails
that Thursday will be the decisive
day; that the question Of future peace
IT, 10 ho
cisions that will be reached when the
British premier and the Irish preat-
dent again go into conference
British Press Cautious.
The British press generally II
treating the situation with extresne
caution, although the Daily News, the
Star and the Herald describe 1t as
Critical
The language of Sir James Craig
seems rigid and unyieldtng. but the
final passages do not seem like .
final word in q hopeless quest
The Daily Telegraph said:
The statement IL q disa&reeaole
shock to the optimists, but II does
not absolutely close the door"
The Daily News thinks that the
difficulties which have arisen may
develop a cabinet crisis within forty
eight hours.
"If Lloyd George supports the vt<ws
OF Sir James Craig" observed the
Standard, then the negotiations die
a natural death"
The Morning Post, organ Of the
Tory conservatives, treated the 9if-
uation somewhat Ironically. nytng:
Post Ii Ironic-
''One Of our conQuerors,- referring
to de Valera's demand for self deter
minAtion for Ireland. does not request
or negotiate-he demands In the name
of the Irish nation"
The Post notes the net that Lloyd
George himself described de Valera as
the chieftain Of q vast majority Of
the Irish race and himself the pred-
dent Of the Irish republic"
III the loyalists of tho North refcse
to Join the rebels Of the South con-
tinues the Post then Lloyd George
will ignore the loyalists and treat with
the Irish chieftain-born. by the way.
in New York-As II he represented the
Ulster loyalists also
"It win be interesting II Lloyd
George obeys and tries to terrorize the
Ulster government into surrender.
Sir James Craig has gone back.
leaving the British to settle their own
terms with the South, insisting only IN
the most absolute way the right Of the
people of the North to determine their
own fate
A Central News dispatch from Bel
fast said Unioutst officials who bad
been comforting on peace In London
arrived in that city this morning and
expressed the belief that the policy Of
the Obstetrics had been generally ap-
proved.
Donald Mscf0efn. Unionist member
of Parliament. told the international
News Service correspondent that he
did not believe that Sir James Craig
would return to London next week.