The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-07-08
SHUTS DISCUSSES
IRISH QUESTION
II II vhV
Il, g. Ih MI AHh
SAYS THAT SOLUTION is POS
EiBIE-TEL.S OF TWO
CLASSES OF PEOPLE, THOSE
IN JAIL AND THOSE OUT
SIDE.

London, July 7.-Gen. Jan Chris.
: 6ian Smuts, premier Of the Union
of South Africa, who has just re-
turned from q visit to Ireland, pub
sicly expressed his opinion tonight
Mthat the Irish problem is soluble
problem. This statement was greet
ed with loud applause by the dis
tinguished company which attended
q dinner given in honor of General
SHUTS by the South African colony
in London. General Smuts opened
his speech by declaring that he had
not abandoned hope of America.
"She is a coy maiden, and must
not be wooed too warmly" he said.
II want to see America pull with US
in this great world service that to-
day is being rendered by the British
empire almost alone"
Then alluding humorously to his
visit to Irsland, he declared he found
the people divided into two classes
those in Jail and those on the run.
The Irish problem, said General
Smuts, was one largely engaging
,'the whole British empire" 1t was a
problem, however, on which he could
not speak tonight, except to express
the belief that it was soluble and
that if there was a better atmos-
phere, eff we all help 10 create bet
ter atmosphere and are determined
TO wipe out what is really stain on
the empires record we shall sue
ceed."
There" he continued emphatical-
ly, 81 think am hopeful. I trust
that the question will be solved and
that thereby the British empire Will
be freed from the imputation that in
this ancient part Of the United
Kingdom there still exists violation
of the fundamental principles upon
which the empire rests. I say that the
problem is soluble because I have
seen it solved in my own country
under circumstances less embittered
than in Ireland, but certainly of a
very difficult character, too.
:.'If ever this problem of the SUBJ
lection of one people to another pre-
sented a hopeless view it was in
South Africa. But finally in a spirit
of give and take forbearance and
trying to. render something to the
point of view of the other side, we
solved the problem and today South
Africa is one of the happiest coun.
tries in the empire. Our forbearance
and self-sacrifice have paid US hand.
some dividends in our national life.'
London, July 7.-For the momen,
Gen. Jan Smuts the South African
premier, is the outstanding figure il
tde hoped for peace settlement il
ireland. General Smuts has just re
turned from that country where hi
engaged in conference with the Re
publican leader, Eamonn De Valera
and other men Of influence in TIN
Irish situation and tonight he de-
clared his belief that the problem i
capable of solution. Today Genera
SHUTS was closeted for many hour
with David Lloyd George, the Britisl
prime minister; Sir James Craig
the Ulster premier; Sir Hama;
Greenwood, chief secretary for Ire
land; Lord Beaconhead, lord higl
!. chancellor; A. J. Balfour, lord pres
ident of the council; Edv ard Stuortt
home secretary; Earl Middleton
leader Of the South Irish Unionists
and Sir Horace Plunkett Chairman
of the Irish convention in 1917-1s
It is confidently believed that he wa
the bearer of definite proposal
from Mr.. De Valera and those asso
ciated with him, but nothing oficia
has been made public.
Sim Fein flags intetwined wit
Union Jacks in the Irish quarter o
Liverpool greeted the visit of tn
Prince of Wales to Mercy today an
according to a prominent Sim Fein
er the order for this came from
Dublin. Other signs of concilatiol