Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-07-14
BY MILTON BRoNNER


LONDON, July 14.-If confer
ences now progressing in Ireland
the result will be due to this most
varying set of influence in the his
tory of great world events:
First: the grim resolve of the bulk
Of Irishmen to follow de Valera slead.
Second: King Georges determi-
nation to pacify Ireland if possible
Third: the growing dismay of the
British taxpayers at the enormous
sums spent in repressing Ireland
without coming any nearer to a set
tiement.
Fourth: The growing discomfort in
the British army at the work.
Fifth: The publicity campaign of
the Northeliffe press, urging the
olive branch be extended to Ireland.
Sixth The pressure exerted by
the premiers of British independent
dominions who saw peace possible in
Ireland only if the Irish were given
independence within the empire sim
liar to Canada and Australia.
Seventh: The influences of Amer
, lea, reinforced by every prominent
American whom Lloyd George has
b1et in the past few months, includ-
ing George Harvey, Thomas Lamount
and Bernard Baruch. All are sup
posed to have told him that there
was aUSlim chance of Anglo-American
| approachment while Ireland was OPP
pressed.
| l.HsMM King Gets Credit.
Many here who are well informed,
however, look upon King George as
| the real hero in the situation. The
cabinet has been divided on the Irish
question for a long time, Churchill
and the Lord Chancellor being count
cd among those who wish conciliatory
methods, while the premier is sup
| posed to have sided with the maiori-
| ty that believed in more military
| force.
The king really forced action on
the Irish question by his insistency in
the famous speech he delivered in
Belfast June %, when he opened the
Ulster parliament.
His plea to Irishmen to forgive ano
forget and to join III making Ireland
land of peace, contentment aas
good will profoundly stirred England
The PREMIER quick to sense what
the public was thinking, jumped il
on June "a with message to de
Valera, "the chosen leader of the
great majority in southern Ireland,
! asking him to come to London for &
conference with himself and Sir Jas
Craig, the first Ulster premier.
On June % de Valera accepted
but insisted that all Irish leader;
first ought to meet in Dublin tC
settle the Irish differences on Irish
soil.
Craig declined, but the invitation
was accepted by southern Ireland
headed by Lord Middleton, great
Tory politician, who is supposed tC
have been influenced by his sister
For years she has worked to alleviate
the distress of the peasantry and
sympathized with their aspirations.
Leaders Released
The government showed its good
intentions by beginning to release
Sim Feir leaders from prison, among
them Arthur Griffith, vice president
of Dali Eireann, the Sim Fein par.
| Lament.
American independence Day may
be forever memorable date in Irisf
history because, while thousands oil
Irishmen waved the American flag
in Dublin, de Valera and Griffiths
! met Southern Unionists on that day
at the Mansion House there.
Among other things proposed was
a truce between the fighting forces
This finally was agreed upon July
and was made effective July II
General McReady, commanding thu
crown military forces, signed for tn,
government, while the signer fo