Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-08-14
GREAT BRITAIN OFFERS
IRELAND THE DOMINION,
PLAN OF GOVERNING TENT
CONTINUED from Page one. }

publican leader. This letter, which
is dated August 4, reveals that
Premier Lloyd-George offered the
twenty-six Sim Fein counties COM
plete dominion status, subject to
certain strategic safeguard. It is
also known by the text of the let
ter that Sir James Craig, the Ill
ster premier, has refused to nego-
tiate with MIR. de Valera, and that
Ulster is standing for retaining
her present government.
General SHUTS, however, urged
the republican leader to accept
dominion status and leave Ulster
to join the south in her own time,
as he believed that through the
successful running Of the Irish
state and the pull Of economic and
would be brought into line.
Mr.. Lloyd Georges secretary
gave the letter to the newspapers
this afternoon after long cabinet
meeing.
General SHUTS, in the course of
his letter, said:
II believe 1t is in the interests of
Ulster to come in, and that the
force of the community interest
will cover a period of years be-
come so great and compelling that
Ulster will, herself, decide to join
the Irish state. Not only will she
not consent now to come in, but
even IL she does, the Irish state
will, l fear, start under such a
handicap of internal friction and
discordance that the result may
we'll be failure once more.
1.-THE humble acceptance of facts
is often the only way of finally
overcoming them. 1t proved so in
the case of South Africa, where
ultimate unity was only realized
through several stages and the
process of years, and where the
republic is an ideal for which we
made unheard OF sacrifices, had
ultimately to give way to another
form of freedom. My belief Is that
ireland is travelling the same pain
full road as South Africa, and. with
wisdom and moderation in leader
ship, is destined to achieve no less
success.
"You say the republic is the
true expression of national self
determination. but it is not the
only expression and it means your
final and irreparable severance
from the British league. To this
the parliament and people of this
country will not agree. The prime
minister has made you the offer OF
another form of freedom, of do
minion status which is working
with complete success in all parts
of the British league.
What is good enough for these
nations surely ought to be good
enough for Ireland, too. For Irish
men to say to the world that they
cannot be satisfied with the status
of the great British dominions
would be to ALLEVIATE all their sym
pathy which has so far been the
main support of the Irish cause.
Such an offer by the British prime
minister who, unlike his prede-
cessors. is a position to deliver the
goods, is an event of unique i'm
portance. 1t is far more than was
offered to the Transvaal and the
free states who fought for freedom
in one of the greatest wars in the
history of Great Britain and one
which reduced their own countries
to ashes and their little peoples to
ruins.
IF you accept, you will become
a sister dominion in the great CIR
Gle of equal states, who will stand
beside you and shield you and pro-
tect your rights as if they were
their own rights and any questions
that you and the British govern
ment may have will be for the I'M
perial conference to decide. This IS
the natural and constitutional
practice of dominion freedom"
Concluding his letter, General
SHUTS said:
"The Irish question is no longer
a constitutional but mostly hui
man problem. "A history such as
yours must breed a temper which
is most difficult to deal with on
both sides. sympathy is called for,
as we'll as generosity and real large
ness Of soul. I am sure that both
the English and Irish peoples are
ripe for a fresh start. The tragic
horror of recent events followed so
suddenly by the truce and by fra
ternizing all along the line. has set
flowing deep fountains of emotion
in both people and created new
political situation"
What was contained in Mr.. de
valera's letter to the premier still
remains mystery Some of the
newspapers maintain that the re-
publican leader clings to his de-
mand for republic while others
are confident that he merely asked
for a further explanation of the