The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-12-17
SINN FEIN
DEBATE OVER
THE ISSUE
Collins and Griffith
Resent Statement
by De Valera Re
garding Their Au-
thority

Dublin, Dec. 14.-The question OF
ratification or rejection of the
! agreement arrived at in London
between the representatives Of the
| British government and the pieni-
/! potentiaries Of the Dali Eireann
| to settle the discord which for
centuries has existed between
Great Britain and Ireland was de-
bated today at a public meeting
Of the Dali and later at two secret
! sessions. Another secret session. is
to be held tomorrow.
At the public meeting today
Eamcr De Valera, the president
and Arthur Griffith. Michael Col
Inns and other Dali deputies. exr
pressed their views as to wether
the Irish delegation to London had
exceeded it's powers in signing the
agreement with the British cab
met for a settlement Of the Irish
problem.
De Valera and The members of
the delegation were sharply di-
vided on the question at issue. De
Valera contended that the treaty
should not have been signed with
out it's having first been referred
to the Dublin parliament. Dele
gates Griffith and Collins insisted
that they and their colleagues had
the power invested in them to sign
an agreement, but not the author
ity to conclude it. Mr.. Griffith as
serted that the representatives. of
the Dali Eireann and Of the British
! cabinet in this respect were Il!
identical positions, as each was
Obliged to refer the treaty to their
respective legislatures for ratifica-
i.tion.
Both Mr.. Collins and Griffith
during the discussion resented a
statement of President De Valera
! tilat the delegation to London had
not obeyed the Instructions Of the
Dublin cabinet.
q have been called traitor.
exclaimed alr. Collins at one point
Let the Irish people decide
whether am or not"
TIE speculation Of the day owe,
/; the possibility Of serious rift il
the two factions can:ered IN the
secret sessions " ID after the open
meeting. a'he first of the secret
conferences lasted from l O'Clock
in the afternoon Until 2 o'clock
/ Then after long recess the depu-
ties reassembled at 4:30 O'Clock
and the meeting continued until q
late hour this evening.
The meeting Of the members OF
parliament behind closed doors
! was confined to animated discus
sion Of the question as to how
far the p!enipotentiarie to Lon
don were justified by their in
structions in signing treaty with
Great Britain in the carly hours
Of Tuesday morning a week ago
without submitting the treaty 10
President De Valera and his cab
met
Mr.. Griffith. quietly. and Mr
Collins. with some heat. in the pub
lic session resented any suggcs-
tons that they had failed TO carry
out their instructions or that they
had exceeded them in an! degree.
i 1t took a longer tinle than had
been anticipated to clear up the
points in dispute. and as Mr.. De
Valera had made it plain his dis
satisfaction Of the method adopted
by the plenipotent;aries u secret
debate was decided upon.
The opinion among the members
OF the Dali tonight on the question
of acceptance or rejection seemed
more evenly divided than had been
expected. All apparently were in
agreement that ultimate respon-
sibility would rest with the coun-
try. It is considered possible that
The members of the Dali. alter
having expressed their individual
opinions would refer final deci5lcn
Of the question 10 tiie electors
among whom all Indications Seem
TO point there is a large majority
IN favor oi the treaty.
Except for u Sim Fein flag
draped with crepe and hunG from
a telephone pole. the only evidence
OF Propaganda against ratification
Of the treaty outside University
College, where the sessions OF the
Dali were held, were members OF
the Communist party in Ireland,
who endeavored to distribute
pamphlets urging rejection Of the
treaty. Members OF the Irish Re
publican army dispersed the Com
Glunists and conGscatcd their lit
craturc.