The New York herald., 1921-08-12
DE VALERA ANSWERS
british PROPOSALS
Continued from, First Page.


Griffith. Collins or any of the leaders.
The actual final settlement may not
come before spring, but the Sim Fetn,
with reservations which are easily nm
derstood. are going to accept Mr.. Lloyd
Georges proposals. Sim Fein leaders
agree that the proposals are most gen
erous and afford the oasis for subse-
quent negotiations. But Sim Fein an
ticipates that VIXEN the proposals are
officially made known they will cause
a great outcry by certain wing Of the
British Unionists.''
He says they are almost the same as
those the British Government offered
through an agent to Sim Fein leaders
at Black Rock two years ago and which
caused the resignation of the then Irish
Secretary, the arrest OF De Valera and
the subsequent two years effort to settle
the Irish imbroglio by force. That
effort was only abandoned when Mr..
Lloyd George sent his message to De
Valera through Mr.. Glynn.
Mr. Lloyd George has known for a
long time that he was taking his politf-
cal life In his own hands with any Irish
settlement which would satisfy Ireland.
He has realized fully that he would have
a difficult task with the Tories. who are
numerically the backbone of the Coali-
tion in the House OF Commons. Hut he
is determined to make a fight. The
London Times printed this morning a
report that the Unionists had sent an
appeal to Andrew Bonar Law. formerly
Coalition Unionist leader. to come back
and lead them again. 1t is not forgotten
that Lloyd George was unable TO ask
De Valera to meet him without condi-
tions and without promises" until Bonar
Laws health failed and until Sir Ed
ward Carson, Unionist leader, had re-
tired to the bench. Lloyd George is con-
vinced the country would sustain him
on any reasonable Irish settlement even
IL the Unionist majority In the House
of Commons refused to do so.
May Bring General Election.
Despite a subsequent denal-Mr.
Lloyd George never hesitates TO deny
what he finds it inconvenient 20 have
know-it is believed here to be quite
possible that the Prime Minister told
Premier BRAND or France just what the
situation might develop into. namely,
a general election in the Irish settle
ment
II is not believed hero that Mr. de Va
leras communication Is of such final
nature as to make that imminent. but
the domestic political situation is OF
such a complexion that Mr.. Lloyd
George will have to personally steer the
Irish situation every moment it is acta-
ally under way lest it crash with Tory
ism on one side ana Irish recalcitrancy
on the other.
To-day's irish communication was
taken to mean that the negotiations have
reached that final stage.
Tho Government Cnionist organ. the
Eueniag Standard, denied Boar Law
has been summoned to return, but
repeatedly pressed questions. both in
the House OF Commons and the House
of Lords. show the lines arc tightening
for battle and the Sim Fein first reply
from Dublin may be the signal for a
general political engagement all along
the line here. News from Dublin con-
tinues reassuring. with Sim Fein leaders
informally indicating that no element
has yet developed IN the Dnil Eireann,
which opposes the steps the Republican
leaders have so far taken.