Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-16
LLOYD GEORGE
DEFENDS PACT
PARLIAMENT
Declares Irish Treaty as
Drawn Up Is Best Now
'Obtainable
BONAR LAW SPEAKS
Craig Tells British Premier Ulster
Can Never Enter Irish Free
State.

London, Dec. 16.-Attacked with
all the bitterness of traditional
jealouses and hatreds in three cap
itals-London, Dublin and Belfast
the Irish peace treaty is apparently
on it's way to inevitable ratification
This was day when the diehards
used their unaltcrable conviction
that the treaty means surrender to
Sim Fein treason to Ulster and
disaser to the empire. They were an
swered calmly and convincingly by
government supporters, including the
premier, and even by Andrew Bonar
Law, who came out Of his retirement
and to the accompaniment of cheers
announced his acceptance Of the
document as the best instrument, in
spite of its weaknesses, that could
be devised under present conditions.
Col. Gretton, vigorous opponent
of the treaty, led the opposition in
the House of Commons in support
of his amendment to the address to
the King which regrets that the
proposed settlement involves the
surrender of the rights Of the crown
in Ireland, gives Ireland the power
to establish an Independent army
and navy, and violates pledges to
Ulster for the safety of the rights
of the loyalist population
For Bonar Law, it was his first
speech in commons since his retire
ment from the ministry. He was
loudly cheered both as he entered
the house and as he rose to speak.
Bonar Law favored the treaty he
declared, although it must be ad-
mitted that it had some weak
points. But he saw no alternative.
"Isn't it worth the risk" he
asked, "to try to get our relations
on better footing? Whatever
happens England is more or less
out of the picture now. If the Irish
mean to fight, they will fight ono
another
The former minister lamented the
bitterness which is growing in
Ulster because the North thinks it
has been betrayed.
at is one of the most disastrous
things that could occur" he said
adding that he could not agree that
the South would have extraordinary
financial advantages, because "the
young and inexperienced statesmen
creating the new state would create
taxation higher than that in the
United Kingdom" He criticized
briefly the proposed revision of
listers boundaries.
In the house of lords, Viscount
Bryce and the Archbishop Of Can
terbury raised their voices in sup
port of the agreement, while the
Marquis of Londonderry and the
Duke of Northumberland opposed
ratification.
Vigorous denunciation of the
Sim Fem organization and dcclara-
tions that the government had
broken it's pledges to Ulster char
acterized the debate in commons on
the question of Col. Gretton's
amendment.
"Matters ordinarily submitted to
general election" said Rupert
Gwynne, "were in this instance de-
cided BY five cabinet ministers and
four representatives OF a murder
gang" His description of the Sim
Fcincrs threw the house into an
uproar.
Upon further heckling, Lloyd
George admitted that Parliament
could if it wished. alter the terms
of the agreement, but insisted that
"absence of consent by both sides
would destroy the pact and the
negotiations would have to be
opened once more, with the risk
Of failure to arrive at settle
ment"