New Britain herald., 1921-08-22
Public Meeting Last Tues day And Wednesday
 And Conferences With De Valera Furnish Data
Debates Will Probably Be
 Centered Around Dominion
 Status Proposals As Set Forth By Great Britain.

Dublin. Aug 22. (By Associated Press. )-Secret seasons of the Irish republican parliament for the purpose
 of drafting the Sim Fein reply to Great Britain's peace proposals began
 here today. The public meeting of that body last Tuesday and Wednes- day and the conferences between Eamonn De Valera and his colleagues since that time were believed to have laid the ground for the work of -he
 parliament, and it seemed probable
 that leaders of the Sim Fein would submit early in the secret sessions a draft of the reply they would send to London.
 Harry J. Roland Present.
 The presence of Harry J. Roland.
 who represented MT. De Valera in the
 United States after the Snn F'ein chief tain had returned to Ireland was
 considered as important as it was be- lieved he would submit to the parlia- ment a report cutting the state of public opinion on the other side of
 the Atlantic. It had been understood since the initial meeting of the par
 
 layed until MT. Roland reached this
 city and his arrival yesterdy was looked upan as a significant event of a day marked by activity among
 the republican leaders.
 De Valera and Cabinet. MT. De Valera and his cabinet held prolonged conferences during the day and it was assumed that arrangements for today's meeting were completed. There was no intimation, however,
 as to the probable time that would elapse before the parliament would finish it's work and send its reply to London. There have been indications that a certain amount of dissention has existed in the rank and file of the parliament over the attitude to be taken toward the British offer of dominion status for Ireland and it ap- peared probable today that many I mem bers would speak on the question before final decision was reached. Press Comments.
 Press comments by Dublin news ipapers would seem to reflect de- sire on the part of the Sim Fein not 1 to utterly reject the British offer but rather to obtain from Prime Minister LlOyO IeOrSe d SlaleIHenl oC- | tails of the governments offer. Ob- | jections have been made that Ire ] land, because of her geographical l position, would not be given the same lsort of dominion government that is enjoyed by Canada or Australia and | it has been held that the premier should define his exact position in | this respect The letter to MT. De | Valera from Jan c. Shuts, premier of
 South Africa. in which Gen. Shuts I gave his construction of the British terms has always been considered of great importance and the newspapers | have asked MT Lloyd George to signify his acceptance or qualification | of the views of the South African statesman Organs of the unionists have been urging acceptance of the | government proposals or at least 1 the submission of them to plebiscite | in southern Ireland
 Attitude of Ulster.
 The attitude of Ulster up to today had apparently been unrelening, so {! far as making common cause with the | Sim Fein in attempting to reach 3 settlement with Great Britain was ! concerned. It seemed the decision of Sir Jmes Craig to stand aloof during | IneSolldtloIlS DSI"SSH DubIlll eNlIu NOAA- ! don had not been reconsidered- The weekend passed quietly in this | city, but it was marred in Belfast {! by the explosion of. a bomb. Dis patches from that city last night how ever, did not connect the incident with the activities of either the Sim Fein- CTS or their opponents
 Large Crowds Gather. l Long before II o'clock when the parliament was to meet, crowds gath | Tered outside the Mansion House to cheer the republican leaders, particu- larly Mr. Roland and Miss Mary Nc | tSwiney, sister of the late Terence Me Swiney lord mayor of Cork, who died | Following a hunger strike in an Eng llish prison. She arrived in Dublin
 from the United States yesterday with MT. Roland.
 1 Among the public the result of to- Iday's secret meeting was awaited with
 palpable anxiety, not unmixed, it ap- pered with considerable hope of fav- l orable developments. Hardly anyone Expected a decision today but it was
 surmised that some indicator of the 1 Dail's final action might be derived l from the first days seSion.
 l Belfast Reports.