The New York herald., 1921-08-20
PREMIER SAYS TERMS
CANNOT BE ALTERED
Outlines 40 Commons Difficult
ties Before Government.
b fhc Associntrd Press.

Commons on the Irish negotiations said
Il want TO make 1t clear that the
Government did not put forth hagglinG
terms. but put forward everything they
could possibly concede to purchase
peace and the good viii of the Irish
people. IL Ireland itself. as far as
can see, the doubt is not so much as
10 the terms but rs 70 whether the
Government really means them.
That is a question of working ont
the terms--of elucidation and eiabora-
tion, and not a changing Of the terms.
Tho outline cannot be altered nor TIE
basis changed.
~In view of the fact that the House
Is about to separate and the fact that
very disquieting statements have beer
made, and even Of a few disquietins
facts. we are bound as 4 Government
10 take thought OF all possible contin-
gencies. however unpleasant they may
be-
'"The first Is the possibility of an
agreement In which case the details will
have to be threshed out. which will
take time. There Is always apt to be
an atmosphere of suspicion surrounding
relations between two countries--a sug-
gestion OF bad faith If there is a mis-
understanding on the slightest particu-
lar"
1t would thus be the duty of the
Executive. said the Prime Minister. TO
place a bin embodying the details and
principles before the Parliament for Inn
mediate action. because delay is dis
astrous once an agreement was reached.
Issues Are Defined.
e wish it was not necessary TO deal
xxrsth fra OIL bnf are
bound TO take notice of certain things
which nave been said This contingency
Is that our terms are rejected.
Were that misfortune TO befall the
relations between these two Islands,
whose history has been so full OK sucn
unfortunate Incidents. we would be
faced with graver situation in regard
to Ireland than that with which we have
ever been confronted.
Whatever these terms may accom-
plish and may have done there is one
thing they have achieved. They have
defined the issues more clearly than ever
before. and rejection would be an un-
nistakable challenge to the authority OF
the Crown and the unity of the Empire,
and no party in the State could possibly
pass that over without notice.
II am using no language OF menace.
That would be indeed folly. Where
LHtTt dEt 80 lfidDy tAiSllil6 uliHNuillto,
to use threatening language would be TO
agsravate old difficulties and create new
ones.
"If there is rejection. and final rejec-
tion beyond hope of negotiation. steps
will undoubtedly have to be taken which
the Executive ought not and won't
with to take without first consulting
Parliament and giving 1t full opportunity
of expressing approval or disapproval
- .sexl.s a.
The Government are sincerely de-
sirous that peace should be secured
and that the long Observation-Disclosures.
sometimes sulky, sometimes savage,
which make so many chapters of Brit
ish history painful reading. misunder-
standings between these two peoples
who ought TO live in peace and har-
n1ony. even in affection. together should
be brought TO an end
In spite OF the disquieting facts |
hope reason viii prevail even over logic.
and that the Irish leaders will not reject
the largest measures of freedom ever
offered their country and take the re-
sponsibility of renewing a conflict which
would be robbed OF all glory and all
gratitude by it's overshadowing horror"
Curxon I'm House OF Lords.
Lord Curzon, the Secretary for For
sign Affairs. told the House of Lords
that the Government had offered Ire
land all that could be given without
compromising the safety Of tho realm,
the sovereignty Of the Crown and the
dignity of the Empire
No one. Lord Curzon continued. could
fail to be struck by the unprecedented
unanimity of praise and support with
which the Governments offer had been
received The press OF the dominions,
the people OF which. above all, were best
qualified to judge what the dominion
status meant and the true character and
scope of the offer. praised II. lie re-
ferred also TO the comment OF the foreign
newspapers. especially those Of the
United States
The task of Foreign Secretary, Lord
Curzon said. for years had been rem
dered anxious and difficult as far as the
United States was concerned In the
main because the Irish question was
not solved. This fact had colored. dark
ened and poisoned the atmosphere. The
press notices from the United States
had caused him infinite anxiety and dis
tress for many years. but now tele-
grams Of approval poured in on him
every day.
Lord Curzon concluded by SAYING the
issue was trembling in the balance II
any challenge were giver the Govern
mert would accept IL and would not
quail before the difficult task that would
lie before H.
Baron Birkenhead. the Lord Chancel-
lor. said he could not share In the opti-
rnisn that pervaded some OF the speeches
on the outcome Of the negotiations "
would be disastrous. however. II II were
not clearly recognized by those 10 whom,
tho Governments offer was addressed
that the offer contained the Govern
ment's last word and compromise.
The Chancellor concluded BY saying
that no one should blind himself to the
conclusion that IL the present attempt az
negotiations collapsed Great Britain
would find herself committed to hostili-
ties on n rcale never previously under
taken against ireland.
There was much comment made by the
Liberals In the lobby on the insistence
made by former Premier AsauIth in q
rpeech he made In the Commons during
the session that tho Governments pro-
roaals did not constitute an ultimatum
but were intended TO bring the opposition
parties together In conference 10 thresh
cut details OF a settlement which would
give full satisfaction 10 freland's aspirn-
slons. During this gossip the expression
was heard thet II was thought Mr.. As
cuith would hardly have gone so far
without knowing 20 some extent the Gov.
ernmcnt's Intentions.
HOME RULE FOR WALES
EAv/OpEn nv ppEAETrp