New-York tribune., 1921-09-16
Britain Cannot Reconsid.
er Refusal to Meet En-
voys as Delegates of
Republic, He Declares
Leaves Door Open
To New Proposals
Hint Is Given of Further
Action After COnsulta-
ton With His Advisers
By Arthur S. Draper
From. The Tribune's Esropeo,s Bureau

Copyright. 1921. New York Tribune Inc
LONDON, Sept Is. - Premier
Lloyd George late this afternoon
called off the conference arranged
for Sim Fein and British repre-
sentatives at Inverness, Scotland,
next Tuesday, and tonight the Irish
question was in its most precarious
situation since Eamon de Valera and
Lloyd George first began their ne
gotiations.
This development came suddenly
and unexpectedly Immediately after
De Valera's reply to the conference
invitation was made public in Dub
lin. 1t resulted from De Valera
insisting that Ireland was a SOW
ereign, independent state, and that
Sim Fein delegates would enter the
conference only as ENJOYS of such
state. The British Premier promptly
sent message in reply, announcing
that the government could not con-
slider such a claim and that he was
cancelling arrangements for the con-
ference.
Will Consult Cabinet
Lloyd George informed the Irish
leader, however, that he would con-
suit with members of his Cabinet as
to what course was made necessary
by the new situation, thus leaving
some hope for further negotiation.
Lloyd Georges message to-day ex-
plains the mystery of what happened
Tuesday at Gairloch where the Premier
is spending vacation, when the Sim
Fein emissaries interviewed him. II
states that he informed the ENJOYS
that De Valera's reiteration of Sim
Fein's claim that its delegates should
negotiate as the representatives of q
sovereign state would make the confer
ence impossible and offered to regard
De Valera's letter, which the cousiers,
Joseph McGrath and Harry Boland, car,
ried, as still undelivered, in order to
give the Irish leader an opportunity to
reconsider.
Lloyd George refers to the failure Of
this effort of his in the following
words: Despite this intimation, you
have now published this letter (which
was first released in Dublin this after
noon) in it's original form"
Il must accordingly cancel arrange
ments for the conference next week.
Lloyd George adds.
Would Constitute Recognition
In another part of his reply Lloyd
George says that if the British govern
ment accepted the proposal to held
conference, in view of the claim re-
iterated by the Sim Fein. it would
constitute official recognition by the
government of the existence of Ireland
as an independent republic, and con
cede its right to break from associa-
tion with the British Empire and ally
itself with some other foreign nation.
"Only one answer is possible to such a
claim" the Premier declares.
At the close of his reply Lloyd
George tells De Valera that it is his
opinion the many concessions made by
the government deserved more gen
erous response from Sim Fein. On the
contrary, says the Premier, "You have
not met US with single step"
Lloyd George undertakes to COM
u
few days, after he has consulted his
Cabinet, but warns that some delay is
inevitable, as he is "laid up" at Gair-
loch.
Break Surprises London
The governments reply took London
completely by surprise tonight When
the letter from the Dali Eireann was
published shis afternoon, as supposed
by arrangement with the government,
it was generally assumed that the con-
ference would meet at Inverness Tues
day, as had been planned. AS the Dali
said, I'VE have no hesitation in declar-
ing our willingness to enter the con-
ference" on the basis which Lloyd
George himself had laid down in the
final paragraph of his last communi-
cation, it was thought he would be
ready to overlook Sim Fein's reasser-
tion of its claim to independence as
merely an elaborate process for saving
its face.
He evidently swung around to less
conciliatory attitude because De Valera
ignored his suggestion that the Dail's
letter be held back pending further
consideration by the Sinn Fein leaders,
and the original Sim Fein draft was
published in Dublin without any con-
sulta.ion with the British government.
which is breach of all previous pro-
cedure regarding publication. !.
1t is quite impossible at present TO
foresee what will develop from the
wholly unexpected situation which had
arisen at the eleventh hour. when evervI|
where it was believed that the corI|
ference would be held without furth{
hitch. Hopes are still entertaineal|
however, that the bridge between thll
government and Sim Fein can be re||
built. At the same time it must bjl
recognized that the opposing PARTED
seem tonight to be as far apart as they
were when the negotiations first began.
Text of Premier's Reply
1 0NDQM Cant H.