The Washington herald., 1921-09-23
Orders Republican Army
To Stay Fit for New
War Outbreak.
BRITISH MINISTERS
MEET IN SCOTLAND
Each Dali Member to Get
Copy of Premier's Re
ply to De Valera.

DUBLIN. Sept 2l-That the Irish
republican army Is preparing for the
resumption OF operations, Is indicated
hJ an address sent TO the troops BY
Commandsr-in-Chi Michael Col
lins today.
Whether our troops will be recalled
to active service is stin in doubt.
says the address, but this fact should
only help to emphasize the necessity
for an ranks to hold themselves In 6
state Of constant preparedness for thu
immediate resumption OF hostilities.
The safety of the Irish nation an6
the security Of the strong position
ne had attained depend upon constant
vtigance. strict discipline and jealous
work among the officers and men ol
the Irish republican army.
The work Of training the organizs
ton must be pushed ahead with al
possible energy and all necessary
provision should be made for sudder
emergency.
If and when this Irish army Is
called to take the field they must b
able to give a good account Of them
selves and overcome obstacles mors
formidable than previously.
That you will not fail when wanted
and that the nation will accord you
whole-hearted support Is the one
certainty in the situation"
Dispatches from Dublin indicate
extreme hopefulness that Lloyd
Georges next message to De Valera
will be conciliatory.
In Belfast, however, the growth
OF Sim Fein camps" is causing
some alarm. There are now 300
men at the Seaforde camp, well
equipped with arms and ammuni-
tlon, Lewis guns and motor lorries.
They are conducting daily drills.
Copies of Draft.
GAIRLOCH, Scotland, Sept. e.
a copy Of the draft Of the British
cabinets reply to De Valera will
be sent to each member of the
Irish cabinet. This means that all
will be held responsible for the
final draft OF De Valera's answer.
IT Is expected that this will delay
the Irish reply for a week or more.
II Is learned that the present
craft is likely to be the govern
ment's final letter. The ministers
are debating the capacity in which
the Irish representatives will at
tend the conference as well as the
basis for the conference.
Want Plain Statement.
1t is felt by the members of the
British cabinet that De Valera's let
ter admits of more than one inter-
probation on these points, and De
Valera will be asked to make a
IAE EnFN To- =.
the basis on which he is willing
to confer.
The attitude of the government
Is that the only possible basis is
the continuance of Ireland as a
part of the British Empire. Those
hoping for peace gather little con-
ISOLATION from the Gairloch meeting.
as a strong section of the cabinet
wishes to sternly insist upon the
abandonment of De Valera's SOW
ereignty claims as an essential pre-
liminary to any conference.
Seen With Alarm.
They are pressing the view that
the government cannot handy
words indefinitely. They complain
that De Valera is making no con-
cessions whatever and profess
alarm that he will bring up the
question OF sovereignty as soon as
the conference meets, and nullify
everything.
On thAother hand. appeals to
the cabinet not to break off the
negotiations do not fall on deaf
ears.
The present time is, therefore, a
period OF suspense, and things are
not nearly so hopeful after the
Gairloch meeting as they were be-
fore.