Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-15
BRITISH EXPLANATION
OF PEACE PROPOSAL

London, Aug. Is. - Mr.. LLOYD
Georges reply to Eamon de Valera,
which was dated August 13, was as
follows:
"The, earlier part of your letter is
position that we feel bound to leave
you in no doubt of our meaning. You
state that after consulting your COL
leagues you confirm your declaration
that our proposals are such as the Dali
Eireann could not and the Irish people
would not accept. You add that the
outline given by our draft is self ICON
Trajectory and that the principle of the
pact offered you Is not easy to deter
mine. We desire, therefore, to make
our position absolutely clear.
I'm our opinion. nothing is to be
gained by prolonging the theoretical
discussion of the national status which
you may. be willing to accept as COM
erning dominions of the British Com
monwealth; but we must direct your
attention to one point on which you lay
some emphasis and on which no Brit
ish Government can compromise, name
ly, the claim that we should acknowl-
edge the right of Ireland to secede from
her allegiance to the King.
Never Can Be Acknowledged
'No such right ever can be acknowl-
edged by us. The geographical pro-
pinquity of Ireland to the British Isles
is fundamental fact. The history of
the two islands for many centuries,
however 1t is read, is sufficient proof
that their destinies are indissoiubly
linked. Ireland has sent members to
the British Parliament for more than
hundred years. Many of her people
during all that time have enlisted freely
and served gallantly in the forces OF
the Crown. Great numbers in all the
Irish provinces are profoundly attached
to the throne.
'"These facts permit of one answer,
and one only, to the claim that Great
Britain should negotiate with Ireland
as a separate and foreign Power.
"When you, as the chosen repre-
sentatives of Irish national ideals, came
to speak with me. I made one condi-
ton only, of which our proposal plainly
stated the effect-that Ireland should
recognize the force Of geographical and
historical facts.
''It Is these facts which govern the
problems of British Irish relations. If
they did not exist there would be no
problems to discuss. / pass, therefore,
to the conditions which are imposed by
these facts.
1--WE set them out clearly in six
clauses in our former proposals, and
need not restate them here, except to
say that the British Government cannot
consent to the reference of such ques-
tions which concern Great Britain and
Ireland alone to the arbitration of a
foreign Power.
1--WE are profoundly glad to have
your agreement that Northern Ireland
cannot be coerced. This point is of
great Importance, because the resolve of
our people to resist with full power any
attemPt at secession by one part of
Ireland carries with it of necessity an
equal resolve to resist any effort to
coerce another part of Ireland to aban-
don its allegiance to the Crown.
"We gladly give you assurance that
we will concur in any settlement which
Southern and Northern Ireland may
make for Irish unity within the six
conditions already laid down, which ap-
ply to Southern and Northern Ireland
alike. but we cannot agree to refer the
ern Ireland to foreign arbitration.
No Desire to Force VIII
"The conditions of the proposed set
tlement do not arise from any desire
to force our will upon the people of
another race, but from facts which are
as vital to 1reland's welfare as to our
own. They contain no derogation from
Ireland's status as dominion, no de-
sire for British aScendnncy over Ire
land and no impairment of Ireland's
national ideals.
"Our proposals present to the Irish
people an opportunity such as has never
dawned In their history before. We
have made them in a sincere desire to
achieve peace, but beyond them we
cannot go.
"We trust you will be able to accept
them in principle. l shall discuss their
application in detail whenever your ac-
ceptance in principle is communicated
to me-
The document concludes as follows:
''The British Government will, there
fore, leave Irishmen themselves to de-
termine by negotiations between them
whether the new powers which the new
pact defines shall be taken over by
ireland as a whole and administered
by single body. or taken over sepa-
rately BY South xn and Northern
Tr.Iand nth ar .ithout n icipt 49,