Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-08-26
Dali MEETS LLOYD
GEORGE OFFER WITH
COUNTER PROPOSAL
London, Aug. 26-(By the A. P. Irish) The Brit
ish governments peace proposals were laid before
the Dali Eirreann, which rejected them unanimous

WIZ ioiN oSioiC
rejected them unanimous
ly but is willing to negoti-
ate on the principle Of
government by consent
Of the governed, Eamonn De Valera
says in his reply to Mr.. Lloyd George,
the British prime minister.
The letter proposes that Great Brit
ain and Ireland appoint representa-
tiyes with plenary powers to negoti-
ate details on his principle.
I'VE have not sought war nor do
we seek war, but if war be made up
on us we must defend ourselves and
we shall do So" says Mr.. De Valera's
letter. We long to end the conflict
between Great Britain and Ireland"
he adds.
De Vaera's Letter.
The letter which bears the date of
Aug "a, reads
"The anticipatory judgment | gave
in my reply of Aug. 10 has been con.
frmed. | laid the proposals of your
government before the dali eirreann
and by a unanimous vote it has re.
jected them.
From your letter OF Aug. 13 1t was
clear that the principle we are asked
to accept was that the geographical
propinquity of Ireland to Great Brit
ain imposed the condition of the sub
ordination of Ireland's right to Great
BrltalnS strategic interests as she
conceived them and that the very
length and persistence of the efforts
made in the past to impel lreland's
acqulescence in foreign domination
imposed the condition of acceptance
of that domination now.
We cannot believe that your gov
ernment intended to commit itself to
the principle of sheer mlitarism, de.
structive Of international morality and
fatal to the worlds peace If small
nations right to independence is for
1elted when more powerful neighbor
coyets its territory for military or
other advantages it is supposed to
confer there is an end to liberty. No
longer can any small nation claim the
rlSht TO separate existence. HOl-
land and Denmark can be made sub.
servient to Germany Belgium to Ger.
many or to France Portugal to Spain.
If nations that have been forcibly
annexed to an empire lose thereby
their title to independence there can
be for them no rcbirth to freedom
In lreland's case, to speak Of her Sc
Ceding from partnership she ha
not accepted or an alliance she has
not undertaken to render is funda
mentally false just as the claim to
subordinate her Independence to Brit
ish strategy is fundamentally unjust
To neither can we as representatives
Of the nation lend countenance
IF our refusal to betray our ma
tons honor and the trust that has
been rCposed in us is to be made an
issue or war by Great Britain we de.
plore it, We are conscious of our re-
spOnsiblitics to the living as we are
mindful of principle or cur obligations
to the heroic dead, We have not
sought war nor do we seek war, but
if war be made upon us We must de
fend ourselves, and shall do 50, con-
lident that whether our defense be
successful or unsuccessful no body Of
representative Irish men or Irish wom-
en- will ever propose to the nation the
surrender Of its birthright
We long to end the conflict be
tween Great Britain and Ireland. II
your government be determined to I'M
pose its will upon us by force and
antecedent to negotiations to insist
upon conditions that involve a sur
render Cf our whole national position
and make negotiations mockery, the
responsibility for the continuance o.
the conflict rests upon you.
"On the basis of the broad guiding
principle Of government by the con
sent Of the governed peace can be Sc.
cured a peace that will be just AMI
honorable to all and fruitful of CON
cord and inducing to amity.
ITO negotiate such peace the dda
eirreann is ready to appoint its repre-
sentatives and, if your government ac.
cepts the principle proposed, to in,
vest them with plenary powers to
meet and arrange with you for its APP
pication in detail
q am sir. faithfully yours,
"EAMON DE VALERA"
Irish Reflect Old Cabinet.
Dublin, Aug. 26.-The reply or
Eamon de Valera to Premier Lloyd
George sums up southern Ireland's po-
sition on an Irish settlement which
is and must remain unchanged Mr.
De Valera declared in addressing the
dali eirreann today after reading the
reply at the public session of that
body.
The dali reelected Mr De Valera
and the members of the cabinet 1t
also sanctioned the loans of $500 600
in ireland and $4,000 600 in America.
Nothing Oong-lIoyd George,
London. Aug. 26-Lloyd George re-
plving today to Eamonn de Valera
Continued on Page 5. Column H.