Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-09-12
IRELAND
From the New YORK EveaIns Fo-,

In q telegram 10, the Trades
Union Congress- ~ Cardiff floyd
George points 10 the authority ~
Lincoln for the belief that bloof-
shed Is better than disuniou. Ap-
parently he has g0no to the same
source for tho diplomacy N hIs lat-
est letter 20 De Valera. Neither III tona
nor IN substance could thar letter he
improved Vigorous but not extreme
IN rs assertions 10 ls courteous ln
its language. and from beginning 10
end breathes n spirit ~ Cancellation.
A. last We have q note dealing with
the Irish problem which o. an srrii-
ment and not n chsllenwr. Iis efstes-
manlike quality win evoke general
approval from fairnindcf persons IL
all shades of opinion.
~ stroke Lloyd CeorWe hss swept
away the unrealities with which fhe
problem had becorne cueumherrd ln
the correspondence befween him and
the Irish leader. LET'S set down 20
brass facks" he says IN eject The
fundamental question g. What does
De Valera mean by "the prlnciule ~
government by the consent ~ the xov-
erned2" Does he mean absolute inds-
pendence or does he mean a form -
autonomy which Is consistent with tha
continued connection ~ Ireland with
the community of nations known a.
the British Empire2" TO this question
there can be but one answer. and DE
Valera knows Il. II should never have
been necessary % - much 81 put
such a question. DE Valera has conn
mitted a tactical error ~ the nrgt
magnitude in manruvrinE himself
into such a position which allows and
even demands It's asking. For the rest.
Lloyd George leaves the door wids
open. He imposes no other restriction
whatever upon the discussion II you
wish guarantees on fany matter. he
says 10 De Valera. an you have % do
is to come TO inverness on the 20th
and say 50.
What viii be De valera's rcpiyf
Lloyd Georges letter gives him a
great opportunity-the opportunity of
showing that he can write note
worthy OF the cause In which he II
engaged. Thus far he has not shown
his possession OF such ability. or az
least the willingness to make use of
Il. The result has been unfortunate.
instead OF "representatives.' az II Irish
Independence could be won by rhe-
torical subletIy, would be amusing x
II were not so damaging. The harm
which such tactics have done 90 his
case is strikingly exhibited in the edi-
torial from the New Statesman which
we reprint on this page today. When
a journal which has fought fOr Irish
Z =
fought for IL can speak % "the inn
possible Irish Ia phrase which would
feel more at. home In the columns of
high Tory publications. IL time
for Ievel-headed Irishmen to ask them
selves whether De Valera has not
been suffered 10 go TOO FAR. Under
the circumstances IL Is not surprisins
that rumor has IL that De Valera viii
not be at the conference. his place
being taken by Arthur Griffith.
The reply Of the British Ministry
through Lloyd. George puts the re-
sponsibnity Of further delay and fur
/ ther imperilling OF the peace ~ Ire
land squarely upon DE Valera and his
followers. II his reply renews false Is
sues or raises fresh questions calcu-
lated TO embarrass an early ectting TO-
gether around a table. Ireland VIII Ind
/ herself facing an unsympathetic world
opinion. This will be a novel expert
ence for her. but she has already had
warning in the chilly reception
which has been given 20 DE Valera =
recent notes. II is unfortunate bat it
is true that the Irish spokesman has
done more in recent weeks % render
the Irish cause unpopular than could
conceivably have been accomplished
in any other way. Whatever may hayn
been Great Britains mistakes I'm ref
erence to ireland down 90 the present
hour she has now extended the hand
OF friendship. VIII Ireland grasp 81
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-rha modern ,xax 10 eet What Won