Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-09-05
Unless British Cabinet In
poses Time Limit for AC-
ceptanCe of Offers, Door
Is Still Open.
DE VALERA GROUP WILL
NOT RECEDE FROM STAND
Answer Insists That PIenipo-
tentiarieS Must Enter Con-
ference UntranmeIad By
Conditions.
tBy The Associated Press.)

ated Press. )-The dali cream
reply to the British premier signed
by Eamonn de Valera, made public
in London and Dublin today. had
been preceded in the British and
Irish press by apparently inspired
statements that it would create a
grave situation.
Perusal Of the reply, however
affords little reason to fear the
immediate breakdown of the nego-
tiations, unless the cabinet council
meeting Wednesday should decide
to impose a time limit, within
which Ireland must accept or re-
ject the government proposals.
The reply shows Mr.. de valera
/ and the dali eireann have not re-
ceded from their former position.
1t emphasizes that the British gov
| ernment's proposals are not an
| invitation to enter into free ana
willing partnership with the ma
tions of the British commonwealth.
but that the conditions Mr.. Lloyd
iI6OIS6 SbthS " IllipoGV No''N
vide ireland into two artificial ana
mutually destructive states. 1t in
sists plenipotentiaries must enter
a conference untrammeled by con-
ditions, but, with that proviso, IT
SAYS that the dali eireann is ready
to appoint plenipotentiaries.
Except that Mr.. de Valera seems
to ignore the premier's warning of
danger in delay, the position IS
much the same as in the last ex-
change Of letters and almost GER
tainly there will be a further eX-
change before a real crisis arises.
The most threatening features
still remain the refusal of Ulster
to yield, in which 1t is recognized
there Is real danger.
The reply follows:
1--WE, too, are convinced it is es-
lsential that some definite and I'M
mediate progress should be made
toward a basis on which further
negotiations can usefully proceed
and recognize the futility of a
mere exchange of argumentative
notes. / shall refrain from COM
menting on the fallacious histori-
cal references in your last COM
munication. The present Is the
reality with which we have to
deal.
Conditions of today are the
resultant of the past. Accurately
Summing up and giving in simplest
form the essential data Of the
problem, these data are:
"The people of Ireland, ac-
knowledging no voluntary union
with Great Britain, and claiming
as their fundamental and natural
right to choose freely for them
tselves the path they shall take to
realize their national destiny, have
by an overwhelming majority. de-
clared for independence and to set
up a republic, and more than once
have confirmed their choice.
"Great Britain acts as tough
Ireland were bound to her by a
contract of union that forbids sep
Iaration.
"The circumstances of the sup
| posed contract are notorious. Yet.
on the theory of it's validity, the
British government and parlia-
| ment claimed to rule and legislate
for ireland, even to the point of
partitioning Irish territory against
| the will Of the Irish people and
| killing or casting into prison every
| Irish citizen who refuses allegi-
| ance. The proposals your govern
ment submitted July 20 are based
| fundamentally on the latter prem
ises. We rejected the proposals
and our rejection is irrevocable.
They are not an invitation to Ire
| land TO enter into a free and will
ing partnership with the free ma
tions of the British common
wealth. They are an invitation to
Ireland to enter in the guise Of
and under conditions which deter
mine status definitely inferior to
that Of these free states.
Canada, Australia, South Africa
and New Zealand are guaranteed
against domination of the major
state, not only by acknowledged
constitutional rights which give
them equality of status with Great
Britain and freedom from the con-
troll of the British parliament, but
by the thousands of miles which
separate them from Great Britain,
ireland would have guarantees
neither of distance nor of right.
The conditions sought to be i'm
posed would divide here into two
artificial states, each destructive Of
the others influence in any COM
I. on council, and both subject to
military, naval and economic con-
troll by the British government.
"The main historical and geo.
graphical facts are not In dispute,
but your government insists on
viewing them from your standpoint
and we must be allowed to view
them from ours. The history you
interpret as debating union, we
read as debating separation. Our
Interpretation Of the fact OF geo.
graphical propinquity.' Is no less
Numerically opposed. We are
convinced that ours is the true and
Just Interpretation and as proof
are willing that a neutral and i'm
partial arbitrator should be the
judge. You refuse and threaten TO
give effect to your view by force.
Our reply must be that If you
adopt that course we can only re-
sist as generations before us have
resisted. Force will not solve the
problem and 1t will never secure
the ultimate victory over reason
and right.
"If you again resort to force, and
| IL victory or not on the side of
justice the problem that confronts
us will confront our successors.
iThe fact that for 750 wears the