Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-16
PEACE PROPo0ALE UNJUST,
Is IRISH cAelNETO VIEW;
ENGLAND RECALLS TROOPS
Continued from pass |.


when II should be big nation guar.
apteeIng safety tn small state. The
Cabinet. Mr. de Valera declared did not
think the British proposals. were Just
Mr. de yalAra pointed to the virtual
" impossible conditions surrounding
negotiations with the British govern
ment for the position. he aaid WAS that
o "A nun unarmed facing a man point
ing pistol
There were people who wanted 10
negotiate To save their faces. he con
flnucd, but the Sim rein would not
negotiate to save faces. but to save. II
possible. bfoodshed and for right and
principle.
American Adviser With Valera.
II was 11.i5 o'clock when Mr.. dc
Valera led the members into the cham
ber. He WAS accompanied by the min
listers Of the Republican csbinet, by
Lord Mayor D'Neili and by Flank y.
Walsh, his American legal adviser
The two latter took their seats 10 the
right and left OF the chairman re-
Rpectively.
A short prayer was said by Father
OF'ianagan. in Gaelic. The members
then took the oath ae a body by hold
ing up their hands. The first member
to sign the roll was Michael Collins
comnander-in-chi of the Republicsn n
army, who had been elected from Ar
magh. In Ulster. The other invited
members from Ulster were absent. Mr..
de Valera, who was elected n member
both from County Down and County
Clare, signed ~ member from the
latter county.
Mr.. deValera said that at tomorrow. >
session, besides recountIng the ne
gotiations between the Irish and
British governments. ne would In a
general way give an account OF his
own department. and that afterwards
tire other ministers would give ac-
counts of their departments
Peace or War Hangs on Reply.
The proposed reply 10 Premier
Lloyd George, continued the president.
would be considered in private session.
All understood the seriousness Of the
reply. he said. as the British govern
ment intended 70 make it an issue Of
peace or war with the irish nation.
Mr.. de Valera said that during his
talks with Mr.. Lloyd George the sub
ject of the freedom Of small nations.
which the British premier advocated
during the war, had come up. and he
had told Mr. Lloyd George that If he
recognized the principles involved
there would be no need for negotia-
tions
ave recognize them and will live
and die for them" the Republican
leader claimed.
Tho signing OF the roll took nearly
an hour az 1870 members. representing
every county in ireland except Antrim
and every city except Belfast. were
present.
Mekeown Gets an Ovation.
The calling Of the names OF Sir
James Craig and other OrangeTnen
elected 20 the House Of Commons was
received with laughter, while the Sim
Fein members cheered. A special ova-
ton was accorded John J. Mex Gown.
the recently released prisoner, over
whose. exception from the first release
order a hitch in the negotiations was
at one time threaprned.
John T. Kelley, the Sim Fein min
sT1rA - diiSs WIZ WIS the temporary
chairman. and DIR. Patrick McCartan,
Just hack from America. were among
the few members who wore the con-
yentronal morning coats. There were
many women in the audience.
Clergymen Attend Session.
a few members OF the clergy were
noted. including some members of the
religious order IN their habits.
Other notable figures were Mrs.
Pearce, mother of the laea Patrick III.
Pearce. and William Pearee. executed
in Dublin after the 1916 rebellion: Mrs.
0'Callaghan, wife of the murdered
mayor OF Limerick and John Sweet
man White. a bearded old Nationalist
who has Joined the Sim Feln.
There We're 13o members present
including those who had been released
from prison TO admit of their attend
ing the session. A >great audience
crowded the gallery floor as Eamonr
de Valera led the members into the
chamber.
The scenes attending the opening OF
the parliament We're in striking con-
trast TO those Witnessed in Belfast
when King George opened the Ulster
parliament Dublin was not decorated
as was Belfast and, instead OF squad
rons OF cavalry. a division of infantry
anG innunlerable police. the only uni
formed men TO be seen in the streets
We're traffic officers.
Crowds In Rain For Hours.
Even these did not appear in the
vicinity OF the Mansion House, where
the parliament met. The crowds
which stood for hours in downpour
of rain We're kept in order by Replbli-
can volunteers, who also acted as
ushers to members OF the pirliament
and those holding tickets of admis-
sion TO the hail..
Most members of the Dali Eireann
We're unknown to the chowd. which
reserved its cheers for such recognized
leaders as Eamonn de Valera and
Arthur Griffith.
Consideration OF Proposals Thursday.
II is understood today that decision
as TO future relations with the United
Kingdom, or. as Premier Smuts of
South Africa described them, with the
British Empire. would be reached be-
fore the end of the week, but that
formal consideration of the British
governments offer would not be be-
gun unti Thursday.
1t was said a decision might be de-
layed until Harry A. Boland, Repre-
sentative of the Irish Republicans in
the United States, could appear before
- n.