The New York herald., 1921-12-15
DAHL VOTES TO-DAY
Plebiscite Is Forecast
With Ultimate Ac-
ceptance by the
People.
COLLINS is CHEERED
Parliament Warmly In
dOrses Defence OF Treaty
Negotiations.
DE VALERA LOSES GROUND
His Defeat Seems Assured I'm
less New Arguments Are
Presented.
DE VALERA LOSES GROUND

Specicl Cable to THB New YORK HEaALp
Copyright, 1921. BIZ THE NEw YozK HERALp.
DUBLIN, Dec. 14.-The name of
Michaei Collins is on the lips Of all
Irishmen tonight. Wild and high
arose the call his words sent forth,
dominating the heavily charged at
mosphere of the Dali Eireann meet
ing here this morning. when he said:
IL stand by all that's over my
name. I am bound to recommend it
to the Irish people-my masters"
That was the dramatic moment in
the meeting to-day of the Dali
Eireann when the agreement TO settle
the future of Ireland, signed by rep
resentatives of the British Govern
ment and delegates of the Dali
Eireann, was debated in public and
private sessions. 1t will be finally
acted upon in secret session to-mor-
row.
l. 1t was in the public session that
Mr. Collins lifted the screen behind
which the true division of opinion
has been hidden since the signing OF
the agreement in London. He said
"I make no statement, even refrain
ing from speaking to members of the
Dali, in order not to prejudice the
issue In to-day's meeting. and ] have
not said hard word about anybody.
Yet / know I have been called \
traitor
House Gives Answer.
Here the house arose as one man,
shouting: Never! Never!" and
Eamon de Valera, the personification
of indignation, cried:
by whom?"
Mr.. Collins continued:
LET the Irish people decide
whether I am or not, and if there
are men who called me a traitor |
am prepared to meet them any time
now, as in the past"
At the end of Mr.. Collins's dra-
matte speech four.6fths OF the house
arose and cheered him, Indicating. on
the surface at least, in no question
able manner the support he will have
when the decision OF the Dali comes
to a vote. However. the consensus
among hard headed south Irish poll
| ticians Is that the division may be
closer than many OF Mr.. Collins's
/ frierds think. While they admit tina:
the following Of Mr.. Collins and Ar
thur Griffith, who headed the delega
tion to London, is strong, they hold
| that IL these two leaders have a ma
jority in the Dali sufficient TO obtain
ratification OF the agreement there
will be no surprise.
PIcbjscite Forecast.
Competent oboervers tonight ex-
press the opinion that the Dali will;
pass the question of ratification or
rejection of the agreement along to
the people OF ireland, who will make
their wishes known in a plebiscite.
Those same observers say a good ma,
jority in Ireland is In favor OF the
agreement.
Despite tho stormy passion that
moved on the surface of THE sea o.
debate and the conjecture which the
secret sessions of the Dali caused re.
garding the charges OF a serious
breach between the recognized lead
ors of Sim Fein, the warm feeling OF
affection which has long existed be
tween these Republicans remained
unbroken, and when the less impor
tant members of the Irish Republican
Parliament took up the question OF
holding the debate in public or in
secret Mr.. Collins took advantage OF
a few minutes of respite to cross the
house and consult with Mr.. de Valera
on some fine point relative to the
genesis of the London negotiations.
And finally, when all the forces of the
discussion swept the tide of progress
into the narrow issue that the house
debate in secret the genesis Of the
negotiations and deliberate in public
on ratification of the agreement" Mr.
Collins supported Mr.. de Valera's
motion.
In fact. the public session to-day
insured that the secret deliberations
would thoroughly thrash out and