Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-11-26
Lloyd George Insists
Ireland Must Swear
Allegiance to Crown.
Sir James Craig Returns
to Belfast; Predict
Open Break Soon.

London. Nov. 25.-(By the Associ-
ated Press.)-What is feared to be the
last scene in the effort to bring peace
to Ireland was enacted Friday, when
Prime Minister Lloyd George and Sir
James Craig met in the formers Of
fieial residence in Downing street,
where the imperial premier told the
head of the northern government that
Sim Fein ireland had not consented
to own allegiance to the king, pre-
requisite to listers agreement to en-
ter an allIreland parliament.
Consult Dali
The Sim Fein delegates are consult
ing with members of the Dali cabinet
in Dublin on the crisis thus brought
about, while Sir James packed his
bag and returned to Belfast, where
he will report to his parliament next
Tuesday and possibly disclose the
cause Of the virtual breakdown of the
Irish negotiations. The official cor
respondence that has passed between
the various delegates also may be pub
lished at the same time in London.
Weekend efforts, meanwhile, were
made by peacemakers in an attempt to
persuade the Sim Fein to modify its
attitude on the question of allegiance
to the king. The Dali Eireann mem
bers have taken the oath of allegiance
to the Irish republic, and thus far they
have refused to substitute for il retog-
nitima wi ith-s Ire}andss Of King George.
The furthest concession from the Sinn
Fein has been their willingness to rec
ognize the king as the formal presi-
dent of the community of free nations
which Ireland might choose voluntarily
to join. but even this was not definite
ly promised
Find No Precedent
Lord Chancellor Birkenhead and At
torney General Hewart, law officers of
the crown, have ransacked the con-
stitutions of all the British dominions
to find any precedent for the only
kind of relationship with the British
crown that Sim Fein will consider.
but nothing can be found, and the
Evening News, the first London news
paper to indicate the real cause of the
crisis, suggested that the relations of
Bavaria with Prussia in the German
empire might furnish such a precedent.
But Mr.. Lloyd George, it is under
stood, would not admit of any arrange
ment which would leave Ireland's al
leglance to the c:own in any doubt,
and the government would support u
ster IN refusing any assertion which
would weaken. its British citizenship.
Now Up to Irish
The only prospect for peace now is
said TO rest on Sim Fein's conceding
allegiance to the crown, and the in
fluence of the advocates of moderation
has been invoked in final effort to
change its position The question is
being put as to whether the point in
volved is worth renewed warfare, for
a breakdown of the negotiations on
that issue, it is believed, would be fol-
lowed, either before or after the gem
eral election, by the handing over of
Ireland to military rule and the dis
placement of the civilian officials in
Dublin castle, to whose influence is at
tributed the previous failure of mill
tary measures.
All along to- Sim Fein delegates
have held the belief that no matter
what the result of the negotiations
might be. the British public would op-
pose the employment of the military:
and in this they have the support of
former Premier Asquith, who at
meeting of the liberal federation Fri
day said the liberal party had not re-
ceded from any pledge given against
the forcible coercion of the Ulster mi
nority. At the same time he asked ali
liberals to assent to the proposition
that it was equally true that they were
not going to be parties. at the instance
Or for the sake Of corner of Ulster.
TO- the coercion of the great mass of
Irish people.