Evening star., 1921-07-14
CROWDS IN LONDON
CHEER AND PRAY AS
IRISH PARLEY OPENS
De Valera Declares Outlook
for Success Brightest in
History of Erin.
JUBILANT AS HE BEGINS
TALK WITH LLOYD GEORGE
First Step Is Effort to Find Basis
for Settlement-Men Meet
Alone.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, July LEBANON de
Valera, the Irish republican leader. ar
rived at No. 10 Downing street at
4:3O o'clock this afternoon for his
conference with Mr.. Lloyd George, the
British prime minister. set for that
hour at which an effort will be made
tlelnent.
The republican leaders appearance
at the prime minister's omcial resi-
dence was punctual to the minute. Mr..
Lloyd George was awaiting him and
their conversations over the peace ques-
tions We're begun Immediately.
Crowds kneel In Prayer.
Notwithstanding a drizzling rain, 4
great crowd which had gathered at
the entrance to Downing street wait
ed patiently for some announcement
from the momentous meeting. Shortly
after Mr. de Valera entered the prime
minister's house the crowd knelt in
Whitehall and began to recite the
rosary.
The Irish republican leader drove
directly from the hotel in Buckingham
Palace road used as headquarters by
the Irish delegation to Downing street
in motor car. He was accompanied
by Art O'Brien, president of the Gaelic
League in London and Robert c. Bar
ton, a member of the Irish delegation
A large crowd. mostly women. which
had gathered about the hotel swarmed
around the automobile as it departed
cheering and waving Sim Fein flags.
The outlook for a lasting peace in
Ireland is brighter than it has ever
been in history, declared De Valera,
as he was about to enter into con-
Nv ox,I
Declares Outlook Bright.
Asked what he considered was the
prospect of settled peace being
De Valera replied:
The outlook is brighter than il
ever was in history. l am sure" he
added, that the atmosphere in ENG
land and ireland is right for peace.
The only thing that is necessary now
is for us to get down to rock bottom"
1t was the first time Mr.. De Valera
had spoken for publication since his
arrival in London Tuesday evening.
This is simply a private conference
with Mr.. Lloyd George. instead of a
Iong-range bombardment. to see what
the republican leader. who was in a
bright and cheerful mood, in talking
with the correspondents.
De Vnlera Explains Silence.
Il have been told" he said, that
you have been rather disappointed in
my not talking more freely with you,
but l am sure you quite understand
the difficulties of the moment. l have
come to tell you that it is not that
l do not wish to say a number OF
things to the people of Great Britain
but that the moment isn't opportune
for 1t.
LAS far as I can see from your
iaI, 7 CT in1
carefully. there is no country in the
world which needs more to under
stand the aspirations of the Irish peo-
pie and the right and logic of their
case than your own people here.
Il should be very glad indeed to
as 1 am putting it before the repre-
sentative of your nation l think it
unwise to put it before your public"
Quotes Ex-President Wilson.
Asked whether he would insist on
the discussion in London being given
full publicity. Mr.. de Valera employ
ed President Wilson's phrase, declar-
ing he personally was in favor of
open covenants openly arrived at
1t was announced from De Valera's
headquarters that this afternoons con-
ference would take the form of a
personal interview between the
british prime minister and Mr.. de
Valera, no one else being present
Reports published today that an
agreement was reached at the recent
Dublin conference between Eamonn
de Valera and the southern unionists
regarding the terms which would be
demanded from the British govern
ment at the conference in London
were categorically denied at de
Valera's headquarters this morning
by Secretary Childers of the visiting
Irish party.
Pact With Unionists Denied.
There was no discussion, direct or
indirect, of any such TERMS" said Mr..
Childers. "The conference confined
itself exclusively to discussion of Mr..
Lloyd Georges invitation to con-
ference and of the arrangements re-
garding the truce"
The published report to which Mr.
Childers referred alleged that the
terms of the provisional agreement
included, besides the provisions of
the present government of Ireland act,
the following: A dominion status for
Southern Ireland; Southern Ireland to
be exempt from imperial taxation and
have full fiscal autonomy; Northern
Ireland to remain as it is at present.
Mr.. de Valera. republican chieftain,
and Prime Minister Lloyd George had
planned carefully for the meeting:
which was looked upon as possibly
the first stage of a new and brighter
epoch in the relations between the two
peoples. The meeting was simply to
prepare the way for further and more
important discussions, but the fact
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