The New York herald., 1921-12-08
Brings Nearer Reciprocal
Understanding of English
Speaking Nations.
ULSTER ACTION AWAITED
Large Hearted Statesmanship
Would Grown American
Satisfaction.
BY wICKHAM sTEED.

Editor of the London Times.
Copyright, 1921, By United Nesos.)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7.-At the risk Of
American papers which to-day acclaim
the Irish settlement, I shall cite only
one paragraph from the editorial COM
ment of the least Anglophile Of promi
nent American Journals:
"The King congratulates Mr.. Lloyd
George, and so does the rest Of the
world, assuming that he has ended In
manner just and acceptable to the
Irish a fight for liberty that has lasted
more than 700 years. The British EN-
pire also is to be congratulated, for
contented Ireland will mean greater
strength than could have been got
from a thousand battleships. The
greatest force is solidarity" This Jour-
nal says bluntly what some scores Of
millions are saying and thinking in
the United States to-day. after reading
the full text of the Irish settlement.
Alters Political Values.
Last evening I had occasion to discuss
the news of the Irish settlement with an
American public man whose competence
to judge home and foreign affairs would
be admitted by all his fellow country
men. He said: 1.-THE Importance of this
settlement Is immense. It's influence on
American domestic politics will be pro-
found. IT will alter many political val
ues that had been regarded as fixed
quantities in our public life. Deeply,
too, viii it affect our foreign relation
ships. At a moment when the decisions
of the Washington conference are
awaiting the assent of the Japanese
Government nothing could have been
Of happier augury than these tidings
OF Irish peace"
Some shrewdly argue that an Irish
settlement removes any doubt that
might otherwise have been felt whether
Toxic will sanction the arrangements to
which the Japanese delegation have
agreed. AS Mr.. Balfour truly said in his
New York speech on Monday night, the
only part that the British delegation
could take in the conference was to fol-
low where America led and gladly to
support the great American initiative. He
could not say, though 1t Is true, that
without wholehearted British support the
success OF the Washington conference
might not have been completely assured.
Those who imagined that, for one rea-
son or another, American and British
policies would prove incompatible were
quickly undeceived, but the notion may
have lurked in some quarters that ef-
fective cooperation between the Ameri-
can and British peoples would in prac-
tice be impossible.
q Cause of Ordered Freedom.
Such doubts cannot now persist. The
Irish settlement, which has been achieved
as 1t was indispensable that 1t should
be achieved-by British and Irish states
manship within the framework of the
British h commonwealth of nations.
strengthens at once the loose jointed CO.
hesion of the empire and the tendencies
IN the United States toward reciprocal
understanding between all the English
speaking nations for the furtherance
and maintenance of what Mr.. Balfour
called 'the greatest of all political
causes the cause OF ordered freedom"
A fortunate chance has enabled me to
secure indisputable evidence of the man
ner in which the news of the Irish settle
lnient was received by Sim Fein head
quarters in this country. The satisfac-
tion expressed by Sim Fein leaders in
American in response to outside in
quiries might not have been the true
no such qualification attaches to the
views they have privately given to their
prominent supporters in various parts of
the United States. 1t is, therefore, pleas
ant to be able to record that their opin-
ions thus confidentially uttered are en-
tirely consonant with their public or
semi public statements. There Is no
reason to doubt the glad sincerity Of
their acceptance Of the terms Of settle
ment.
Position OF Ulster.
Pending the arrival of the decision Of
the Japanese Government, which is
hardly expected to reach Washington
before the end OF the week, progress in
the transformation of the Irish settle
ment into legislative enactments will be
eagerly watched In this country. BY no
means the least admirable Of the many
excellent features OF the settlement II
felt to be the arrangements In regard to
Ulster. Strong hope is entertained that
Ulster will not exclude herself from tho
Irish Free State. this hope being strong
est In quarters--which are more numcr-
GUS In the United States than Is COM
monty supposed-where the position of
Ulster in the past has been most clearly
appreciated. A display of large hearted
craftsmanship by the Ulster leaders at
this tuncture is alone needed 70 put a
tba outcome of the Irish negotiations.
;-s-s efforts to stimulate the apprehen-
sions OF tho American public lest the ar
sangements Professionally made by the
conference should imply the entangle-
l,nent OF the United States In some sort
OF alliance with other Powers are fail
ling for want OF substantial basis. As /
have repeatedly indicated. the main re-
suits of the conference II accepted by
the Japanese Government will probably
- the adoption OF the $3.50 ratio OF
capital ship strength a1 between the
United States. the British Empire and
Japan; this ratio may be found contin-
gent upon nm undertaking not to fortify
strategic islands in the Pacific, which in
the case of the United States might
mean the non-fortifcation of Guam !:
this rntio and undertaking may be en-
bodied In an instrument requiring ratifi-
cation by the Senate, and II is not
doubted that such ratification would be
granted.