The New York herald., 1921-12-07
IRELAND RETURNS
TO ANCIENT STATUS
Lord Birkenhead Explains
Agreement Creating
Irish Free State
ULSTER HAS OPTION
Fidelity to British Empire
and King George Will
Be Declared.
DAIL'S ASSENT NEEDED
DAIL'S ASSENT NEEDED
RectificatiOn of Frontier Re-
served if Ulster Declines
Adherence.

/
sociated Pressl ireland hereafter will
be known officially as 1.-The Irish Free
State under the agreement reached
at last nights London conference, said
Lord Birkenhead, the Lord Chancellor
in an address here to-day.
Lord Birkenhead made an interest
ing historical reference to the place
where the Irish agreement was signed:
'In the same room at No. 10 Downing
street which witnessed the loss Of the
American colonies and the most mo-
mentous decisions in the great war a
new phase in Great Britain's history
has been entered" he said.
In outlining the general terms of
the agreement the Lord Chancellor
said: I'VE propose in the first place
that within the area of southern Ire
land we shall make those who beyond
all question within that area at this
moment are entitled to speak for the
overwhelming majority of the popula-
ton masters in their own house.
"An Ancient Parent State"
with one single important reserva-
tion," declared Lord Birkenhead, we
place Ireland--and I shall define Ire
land in a moment-precisely in the posi-
ton OF Canada, Australia, New Zealand
and South Africa. And there Is no
power. subject to the reservation which
shall indicate. that is given to any one
Of these great self-governing dominions
that we shall not equally concede to the
State which Is to be created"
Lord Birkenhead said the Parliament
to be set up would be supreme in it's
own domain in matters Of finance. but
that arbitrators would determine the
amount to be assumed by Ireland as her
proportion of the national debt and war
expenditure.
Referring to tho negotiations with the
Sim Fein representatives and the de-
bate among the conferees over the
earlier British proposals, Lord Birken-
head remarked:
One OF the Irish delegates said across
the conference table: You cannot quite
dismiss US and our claims and our his
ancient parent State, and we have
through the centuries flung our sons and
our settlers into every corner OF the
habitable civilized globe That claim Is
true. That claim has modified tho fun
damental view which We have adopted
and by which we stand
Financial Clauses.
In discussing the financial phases Of
the agreement he said: TN matters of
finance there again the Parliament to
be set up is supreme In its own house.
They (the Irish delegates) have recog-
nized that it is necessary to strike n
balance between this country and Ire
land in financial matters. On such a
balance being struck they shall pay us
a due proportion. having regard for any
setoff or counter claim they may think
proper to put forward due proper
ton of our national debt and our ex-
penditure on war. The amount of this
will be determined by arbitrators to be
chosen from among the citizens of this
country. and who. I hope. will include a
distinguished colonial judge.
"In the opinion of all my colleagues,
the interests of Ireland itself ard of the
empire as a whole will be forwarded
should 1t become possible in the near
future for the inhabitants OF northern
Ireland 20 adhere to a general Parlis-
ment which. on matters not by existing
legislation reserved for the decision OF
the northern Ireland Parliament alone,
still require decision and obviously af-
feet the interests of Ireland taken as a
unit and as a whole.
"The representatives from Sim Fein
are prepared to recommend TO ths Dali
Eireann that the newly constituted Irish
Free State shall not merely make a
treaty Of association with the British
Empire. but shall enter into the British,
Empire for all purposes The fidelity OF
the Irish Free State to be constituted
will be declared in plain. unequivocal
language. in the constitution as created
by this instrument, to the commonwealth
of nations and to King George.
GUARANTEES to Ulster.
ssTho Dali will be st1n1snoned ot 80,