The New York herald., 1921-08-28

all you could legitimately wish for. Mr..
Lloyd George in his historic reply to
Gen. Hertzog at Paris. Mr.. Bonar Law
in a celebrated declaration In the House
Of Commons. Lord Miner as Secretary
of State for the Colonies, have stated
their views, and they coincide with the
highest claims which Dominion states
men have ever put forward on behalf OF
their free nations.
What Is good enough for these ma
tions ought surely to be good enough
for Ireland, too. For Irishmen to say
to the world that they will not be satis-
fled with the status of the great British
Dominions would be to ALLEVIATE all that
sympathy which has SO far been the
main support Of the Irish cause.
The British Prime Minister offers COM
plete Dominion status to the twenty-six
counties. subject to certain strategic
safeguards which you are asked to agree
to voluntarily as a free Dominion, and
which we South Africans agreed to as
free nation In the Union of South Africa.
To my mind such an offer by British
Prime Minister, who unlike his prede-
cessors Is in a position to deliver the
goods, Is an event of unique Importance.
More Than Beers Got.
You are no longer offered home rule
scheme Of the Gladstone or Asquith type.
with its limited powers and reservations
of fundamental character. Full Do
minion status. with all 1t is and implies
is yours if you will but take It. 1t Is
far more than was offered the Trans
vaal and Free State, who fought for
freedom one Of the greatest wars In the
history of Great Britain and one which
reduced their own countries to ashes
and their little people to ruins.
They accepted the far less generous
offer that was made to them. From
that foothold they then proceeded to i'm
prove their position until to-day South
Africa is a happy. contented, united and
completely free country What they
have finally achieved after years OF
warfare and political evolution Is now
offered to you-not in doles or install
ments, but at once and completely. H.,
as hope. you accept you will become
sister dominion in great circle of equal
States, who will stand beside you and
shield you and protect your new rights
as IL these were their own rights who
will view an invasion of your rights or
a violation Of your status IS IL 1t were an
invasion and a violation of their own,
and who will thus give you the most
effective guaranty possible against any
possible arbitrary interference by the
British Government with your rights
and position.
In fact, the British Government will
have no further basis OF interference
with your affairs, as your relations with
Great Britain will be concern not OF
the British Government but of the I'm
perial Conference. of which Great Britain
will be only one Of seven. members. Any
questions in issue between you and the
British Government will be for the I'm
perial Conference to decide. You will be
a free member of a great league. OF
which most of the other members will
be in the same position as yourself. and
the conference will be the forum for
thra shing out any questions which may
arise between members. This is the ma
ture and the constitutional practice Of
dominion freedom.
constitutional difficulty. / am satisfied
that from the constitutional point of
view fair settlement Of the Irish ques-
ton Is now possible and practicable. II
is the human difficulty which remains.
The Irish question is no longer a con-
stitutional but mostly n human problem.
A history such as yours must breed a
temper an outlook. passions, suspicious,
which II Is most difficult to deal with.
On both sides sympathy Is called for,
generosity, and a real larseness of soul.
/ am sure that both the English and
Irish peoples are ripe for a fresh start
The tragic horror OF recent events. fol-
lowed so suddenly by a truce and
fraternizng all along the line. has set
flowing deep fountains of emotion In
both peoples and created new politi-
cal situation.
1t would be the gravest reflection on
our statesmanship IL this auspicious
moment is allowed to pass. You and
your friends have now unique op-
portunity-such as Parnell and his
predecessors and successors never had
Ito secure an honorable and lasting
peace for your people.
I pray God that you may be wisely
guided. and that peace may now be con-
cluded, before tempers again change
and perhaps another generation OF
strife ensues.
Ever yours sincerely.
J. G. SHUTS.