The New York herald., 1921-12-20
VOTE is DELAYED
Debate i'm Irish Parlia-
ment May Last the
Remainder of
Week.
BARTON SENSATIONAL
Compelled to Sign at Once
to Avoid War, He !
Declares. 7
BITTERNESS Is INTENSE
Doubt Expressed That Ireland
Can Present Solid Front |
to England. !
BITTERNESS IS INTENSE

Special Cd6Ie to THE New YORK HERALD.
Copyright. 1921, by TIE NEW YORK HERALD.
DUBLIN, Dec. 19.-The most in.
tense bitterness between the two
Irish factions marked the entire pub
lie session OF the Dali Eireann to.
day, and tonight all hope of any sort
of compromise has been swept
away The battle for and against
ratification of the London settlement
will be fought out tenaciously during
probably two or three days more,
but whatever may be the decision
the prospect of peace in Ireland in
the immediate future is strikingly
Cimmer
/. If Arthur Griffith. Sim Fein
Foreign Minister, who headed the
Republican delegates to London.
wins ratification of the agreement
by the Dali, Eamon de Valera, leader
of the faction which is against rati-
fication, is reported to have another
scheme which will further compli.
cate matters. Sixty members of the
Dali intend to speak. Only eleven
were heard to-day.
Bartou's Dramatic Declaration.
The most dramatic moment in the
| session to-day came at the end OF
the proceedings when Robert Barton.
Minister of Economics in the Sein
Fein Cabinet and a member of the
Republican delegation to London. de-
clared he had opposed the treaty.
responsibility for war and would
stand by his decision. He revealed
| the fact that Lloyd George had iu-
sisted upon action within space of
time that made 1t impossible to refer
the treaty to the Dali before signing.
The De Valera henchmen declare this
is big boost for their cause and pre-
tend to be satisfied with what they
call the way the tide has swung in
their favor.
The partisans of Mr.. Griffith made
it clear that it was plainly a case OF
this treaty or war; that the treaty
was the best they could ever get, and
their opponents seized on this as a
declaration of defeat and appealed
to the Irish as an unconquerable
people not to accept it,
Personalities stll count above the
merits of the argument. and in this
respect Michael Collins and Mr. Grif-
fifth dominate. backed up by military
uniforms. many Of which were worn
by members who attended the session.
RcpubIicNcver Demanded.
The debate to-day made it clear that
republic was never demanded in
London by the Sim Fein ENJOYS. be-
cause they realized the conference
there would break down if they made
this an issue.
The issue with US" said Mr.. Bar
ton, was whether we should stand
behind our proposals for external as
sociation and maintain the republic
or whother we should accept inclusion
in the British Empire and attain
peace Mr.. Griffith. Mr.. Collins and
Mr. Duggan were for acceptance: Mr.
Duffy and myself for refusal The
answer Of the northern Unionists
committed you to immediate war. and
responsibility for that war was TO rest
on those two delegates who refused to
sign. For myself I preferred war and
! told my colleague so. but. unable TO
consult the nation. / dared not accept
the responsibility
A great burst of applause followed
this most impressive statement Of the
meeting.
in tho meantime the campaign IS
going on behind tho scenes and at
last the entire country has abandoned
its calm and spirits arc so high II is
impossible now TO visualize an ireland
that is not again at strife with her
self for some years 90 come.
Mr.. dc Valera and tho romanticists
scorn Mr. Griffith and as a result
principle clashes with principle, the
past comes into conflict with the fu-
ture and there is such a wave of feel
ing that a solid front in Ireland pre-
scented against England is now re-
| mote indeed.
When the Assembly opened Mr.. do