New-York tribune., 1921-03-24
Irish Hanging
Are Upheld BY
Lloyd George
Premier Tells Commons
Some of Men We're Guilty
of Murder and the Others
We're Caught With Arms
Answers Asquith Attack
Debate Is Begun erAppea1
for Magnanimous Action
to Erin Before Easter

LONDON, March 13 (By The Assoc
ciated Press) AN Irish debate was
raised in the House Of Commons to-
day by Francis Dyke Acland in appeal
ing to the government to act with
magnanimity before Easter. He advo-
Gated the summoning Of constituent
assembly to choose the form Of an
Irish constitution. The, members who
supported Mr.. Acland made much play
Of the analogous situation in South
Africa.
Former Premier Asquith criticised
the governments failure to employ the
same vigor in vindicating the law in
Ireland against the crown forces as
against the Sim Fainers, and, in sug-
costing that the government again get
in touch with the representatives of
the Irish people. said it was useless to
lay down impossible conditions in such
negotiations.
Replying to Mr.. Asquith's Indictment
Of the government in connection with
the executions at Mount Joy and else
were, as bringing disgrace and shame
upon England in the United States,
Mr.. Lloyd George said that two Of the
men executed at Mount Joy were MUIR
derers and that the other four were
engaged in an ambush to kill police
men. They were taken with arms,
bombs and soft-nosed bullets in their
possession.
Says Asquith Could Do No More
The Prem er gave similar details Of
the other cases adduced and argued
that Mr.. Asquith himself could have
taken no other course, had he been IN
power, than Che government had done.
II venture TO say" he went on, that
the American papers while quoting Mr.
Asquith's statements will not publish
the facts.yI am now stating" He con-
tended that such Misrepresentation
was responsible for opinions in the
United States.
On the question of negotiations the
Premier announced no new policy. He
said the government was arranging to
hold elections under the home rule act
in Ireland next May for both the north
and south, and if the representatives
Of the south choose to participate, the
tWu VdIlldmSuC6 COuiQ tllSu ulCct dS u
constituents assembly under the pro-
visions of that act to consider and
recommend changes. If they refused
thus to participate the responsibility
would be theirs.
Previous Offer Holds Good
Respecting negotiations his previous
offer still held good. There would be
no demand for the prior surrender of
arms as condition of such negotia-
tions. The surrender Of arms would
only be required as a prior condition
Of truce or an armistice.
Mr.. Lloyd George declared he was
laboring to the utmost to keep the
door Of peace and conciliation open,
and every Irishman ought to assist
Some of the greatest men in English
history had tried, but failed, to solve
the Irish problem, and he and his col
leagues felt no shame that up to the
present they had failed.
He feared that the real reason which
prevented negotiations was that there
was no Irish leader possessing moral
courage to face his people and tell
them that, for the sake of Ireland
he was going TO abandon certain de-
mands, which it was impossible FOL
the British government to concede.