The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-25
ENGLAND REGRETS
 PREMIER CANNOT
 60 ID WASHINGTON
Irish Situation, Which Has Been Plague for Seven Gen. turieS, Forces Lloyd
 George to Stay Home
By GEORGE N. BARNES British Parliamentary Leader

Copyright, 1921, by The AEe-Herald)
 London, September 24.-It is a matter of sincere regret to most Englishmen that David Lloyd George, the British prime minister, will not attend the Washington con- ference on limitation of armament. The uncertain issue of the Ireland negotiations disposed of any chance of this extremely interesting fig ure in world politics taking part in the Washington party.
 This is a source of general disap- pointment. There has been objection to the prime minister serving at Washington, notably the Northcliffe press attacks, but Lloyd George rep resents the Great Britain of today, and 1t Is too bad that the American people should not see and know him at close range.
 However, the Irish situation is such that he cannot neglect it. If the ne- gotiations are to continue on an am icable basis, Lloyd George is needed here to conduct them. If, to Great Britains misfortune, they are broken off definitely. and civil war is re. sumed in Ireland, Lloyd George is needed i'll Downing street more than ever, for the crisis will be serious one.
 Problem of TOO Years
 Ireland has been an acute problem for 700 years. Alongside 1t, the linn itation of modern naval armament is quite an infant industry.
 Sir Ernest Shackelton. the noted avp pJ rd lie fot tt1 ha of D2 boarded their little craft the other day and left us for the Antartic. Their departure evoked quite a burst of good will and brought a welcome ray of romance into our prosaic, if some what troubled life. The lure of the seas ever has appealed to our race and in & spirit we shall fol- low the adventurers to, the far-off polar regions.
 But political and industrial con ditions leave little respite for TO- nance. After apparent agreement 10 days ago, the parties to the Irish par ley again became engaged in further which have led to further friction. DeValera has had his last word. but as Lloyd George has asked for the withdrawal of the claim of sovereignty which is again asserted, the omens at the moment are not good.
 Meantime, the rioting in Belfast, in which two girls were killed, is a striking commentary on DeValeras plea for an independent and united government. If nothing else comes of the recent happening in and re- garding Ireland. the world in general, and America In particular, will at least have got a clearer insight into Irish phychology and will under stand better than before the real diff faculties of the Irish situation.
 I still think it was mistake to Impose conditions and that each side might have been left free.
 Unemployment Problem
 Our other outstanding problem Is that of unemployment. The unem- ployed get more inslstent and recent figures tend to a stabilization of their numbers. There was diminuition last week of only 25,000, and there still remain 1,502,000 entirely work less, and some 100000 only partly A cabinet committee has drawn up a scheme of financial help by local authorities which is held by many not only to be inadequate, but wrong. It is based upon the traditional policy of gov ernments which have envisaged the problem as one primarily for local whereas newer view demands the recognition of problem as one for central organization and financing.
 The government is willing to lend aid to the extent of paying the in- terest on any loans the local authori- ties may contract in aiding the un- employed, but is unwilling to under take central organization or control And there the matter rests for the moment, except that several labor party mayors have succeeded in in the prime minister and the labor party has Joined with the Trades Union congress In demand ing special meeting of Parliament.
 Cooperation Only Remedy
 It is now being more and more rec ognized however, that schemes for relief of workers. whether local or national are but poor palliatives for an evil which can effectively be dealt with only through cooperation be- tween the employer and the em- ployed, whether the employer be an individual company or the public au- thority.
 Opinions are tending toward each industry regularizing it's employ ments as far as possible and provid- ing for unemployment, when inevi- table. by a charge on costs, supple mented, according to proved need, from national insurance funds. Pro- visions are made for this in the in- surance act and the application of the principal only awaits the neces- sary organization recognition on the part of those partly concerned.
 The one hope for the future of the present situation lies in the fact that there is discernible welcome glim- mer of some such constructive thought and social sense by em- ployer and employed It was mani Tested at the recent trade union con gress by the interest shown in mat ters lof education and the central control of disputes. And it has been shown by the conference on indus trial organizations this week, largely attended by representative employers and employed, including local authori- ties.
 Meantime, we are faced with the present surplus of million and half would-be workers for whom some provision must be made which will not unfit them for return to normal work. nor retard the demand for their services when such work is