Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-12-16
By EDWARD w. PlcKARD


rnEACE and amity between Great
/ Britain and Ireland are in sight,
after many a long year of bitter en-
nifty and intermittent fighting. Just
as the outlook seemed darkest, LLOYD
George and the Sim Fein delegates ar
rived at an agreement that solved the
tangled problem and signed a treaty
which creates the Irish Free State as
sister nation Of the British empire
like Canada. Australia, New Zealand
and South Africa. It's constitution Is
10 be based on that of Canada, and
the representative Of the crown In Ire
land is to be chosen in the same way
as the Canadian viceroy.
By clever juggling Of words and
phrases the peace delegates evolved
an oath of allegiance that the irish
were willing to accept. It must be
taken by every member Of the Irish
parliament and is as follows:
81 do soIemnly swear true faith and
allegiance to the constitution of the
Irish Free State as by law established
and that / will be faithful to his maj
esty King George v, and his heirs
and successors by law, In virtue OF the
common citizenship of Ireland with
Great Britain and her adherence to
and membership Of the group of ma
lions forming the British common
wealth of nations"
Ireland is to have her own army and
coast defenses and to control her own
finances. She admits liability for a
share of the British debt, and Britain
retains the right to control certain
ports.
AS for Ulster, while speedily In
formed Of the treaty, she is not even.
asked to consent to it. The northern
counties are to be included Ia the
Irish Free State, with local autonomy,
but have a month to decide whether
they prefer their present status, and
during that time 'the powers of the
parliament and government of the
Irish Free State shall not be exercis-'
able as respects northern Ireland" If
Ulster elects to yetain her present
status. her boundary lines are to be
fixed by commission Of three.
At this writing Ulster has not acted
formally concerning the treaty, but it.
is predicted it will approve it. All
Great Britain, except a very few of
the most rabid Unionists, are enthusi-
astically for the pact and the southern
Irish themselves seem fairly well sat
isfied and decidedly relieved. They
should be happy, for they gain practi
cally everything they have asked ex-
cept ACTUAL separation from the Brit
ish empire The treaty is yet to be ac-
cepted formally by the Irish parlia-
ment and the Dali Eireann and by the
British parliament, which has been
summoned to special session. "Presi-
dent de Valera declares himself
against the agreement, but the real
rulers Of Sim Fein are Arthur Griffith
and Michael Collins. both Of whom
signed the pact gladly. Mr.. Griffith
said:
'trhese proposals give Ireland the
control of her own destinies and place
our future in our own hands. They
enable us to stand on our own feet
and to develop our own civilization
and national distinctiyeness. They
constitute a regainment of Irish liber-
ty after a struggle of centuries"
T% HE United States, Great Britain.
L Japan and France have reached
an agreement for the sterilization of
peace in the Pacific and this first def
mite accomplishment of the conference
in washington was announced at a
plenary session on Saturday. The plan