Evening star., 1921-10-14
Irish Peace Conference Has
TWo-and-H d-HaIf-Hour Session
and Adiourns to Monday.
S!NN FEINERS PREPARE
PRISON CAMP CHARGES
Lloyd George and Collins joke
Over U. S. RiAe-Both
Sides Optimistic.
By the As.oc.ated pgc.s.

~ -hs>ptttttu f.i'~S.
LONDON, October 1i.-Thc ,auI.'-
ence of Sim Foin leaders and iuenlleis
Of the British cabinet convened at II
o'clock this morning in Prime Minister
Lloyd Georges Official residence IL
Downing street. with the Wow of reach
ing an agreement as 10 a basis for set
tlement OF The irish question, a,ijouIn.d
AT 1870 O'Clock this afternoon until 800
pm. Monday.
While the. conference was in session
today Desmond Fitzgerald. Sim F.ln
minister Of propaganda, said that II"
hitch in the negotiations thus far h..d
occurred and that thu Siun Frin dt!'.-
gates anticipated prolonged proceed
ingS.
Truce Question Comes Up.
All the Irish r, pres, nlaLivas arr, uIeru-
bers OF the committees To- which special
subjects have bee submitted and Ties
&C mmittees have been comforting Will
different members Of ,he British cabiu't
and government experts. \ general
agreement. except on some points Of do
tail. has been reached ON the true
question by the committee dealing with
it. Commandant Barry. the Irish r.,
publican haison officer Tor Nunstr:.
where great deal of friction has or-
CURED, has been summoned To London
for consultation with The IRISH dele
gates.
The Sim Fein representatives have
formulated complaints as to cond.-
tions in the internment camps, esp
cially that on Spike Island in Cork
harbor. where allegations OF harsl
treatment have been made against IN,
British troops. Thesr complaints
have been referred to Gen. Sir NcTl.
MacReady. commander of the Brirl l.
forces in Ireland, who is invtstigat-
ing them.
Leaders Joke Over Rife.
AS the Irish delegation WAS leaVin'
the conference chamber Michael Coz.
Inns, r"put commander -clIiei G
the Irish republican army. noticed
rifle standing in a corner. Turn ~
to his colleagues. he humorous
asked:
What is the meaning of this pro
vocative display"
Mr.. Lloyd George at this moment
and one of his secretaries repeated
Mr.. Collins query. The prime minis.
ter laughed and, picking UP the riff
explained that il was the first Amer
ican rife made for the late war.
Mr.. Collins then suggested that ll'
should sit in chair with the r.l
in his hands, and that Mr.. lloyd
George should send for photog-
rapher. The prime minister enjoying
the joke immensely, laughingly de-
ciined to do SO,
Deadlock Held Unlikely.
There seemed to bc considerabl
optimism today in both the SIM,
the continuance of the conference,
but it was recognized that the vital
matters at issue had not as yet cone
before the negotiators.
members of the cabinet Required yes
terday afternoon to consider the
question of unemployment, which is
momentarily uppermost in their
minds.
This optimism is enhanced by the
announcement that the prime min
lister is getting readysto go to Wash
ington which. il is considered. he
would not do if he believed that the
Irish conference was likely to reach
to London.
Collins Financial Wizard.
Austen Chamberlain. who had been
suffering from lumbaso, was suf-
ficiently recovered Ia attend yestsr-
days meeting. full delegations
were present. Michael Collins made
a marked impression on the British
delegation. from the premier down.
They found that he was no. the Wild
man which lie had been pictured by
most Englishmen during his fighting
days, and is still pictured by those
who are politically opposed To The
government meeting the Sim Fen
delegates Instead. he appears ["
he a serious minded man. who has
crappled with and mastered the sub
iect OF finances between Eng
land and ireland. and is ready with
figures whenever the occasion re-
ouires. and. on the other hand, can
deal humorously, even with such
questions.