Norwich bulletin., 1921-08-17
Sim Fein Holds for
Full Independence
De Valera Voices IreIand's
Claim to Separation From
the British Empire.

Dublin, Aug. 16 (By the A. P.).-Com-
plete independence for ireland still re-
mains the demand of the leaders of the
Sim Fem.
AT the opening of the Irish republican
parliament today Eamon De Valera, the
republican leader, in an address to the
members, declared that for Ireland he
and and his colleagues stood for the
ideals embodied in the American Decara-
ton of Independence. He reiterated Ire
lands claim to separation from the Brit
lsh empire and asserted that the cabinet
OF the republican parliament was the sole
government the Irish people recognized.
! referring to the peace negotiations
with David Lloyd George, Mr.. De Valera
said there were people who desired to
negotiate in order to save their faces.
The Sim Fem however. would negotiate
only to save possible bloodshed and for
right and principle. He declared that the
cabinet, in refusing the proffer of a do
mnlon form of government by MIR. Lloyd
George, had taken this step because it
considered his proposals unjust
The address of Mr.. De Valera was lis
tened to attentively by the $50 members
of the Dali Eireann gathered from all
parts of Ireland. It was delivered after
Prof. John MCNEIL had been chosen as
promised that at the session tomorrow he
would outline the negotiations he had
carried on with Mr.. Lloyd George, and
afterwards the parliament might consider
the situation behind closed doors.
Notwithstanding the attitude of the
members of the Dali Eireann in taking
an oath of allegiance to the Irish republic
an oath which in former days would
have been termed high treason-and De
Nalera's reiterated demand for the free
dom of Ireland, British civil officials in
Dublin. many of whom assert that they
have channels of communication with the
inner workings of the Sim Fein, are still
hopeful of settlement of the Irish prob
lem.
These officials tonight based their
hopes on one section of De Valera's
speech, in which he said:
In the general election, which in effect
was plebscite, the question was put to
the Irish people what form of govern
ment they wanted and how they Wished
to live, so tnat they might have the op.
portunity of working out for themselves
their own national life in their own way
The answer the people gave was un-
mlstakable. l do not say their answer
was for form of government so much
because We are no republican doctrin.
Irish independence, and it was obvious
to everybody who considered the question
that Irish independence could not be
realized at the present time in any Other
way SO suitable as through a republic.
Hence it was that an Irish republic
as such, was sanctioned by the represent.
atiEes of the people, and that you, the
representatives Of the people, came here
and, IN public session declared the indie.
pendence of the nation and solemnly de.
clared your determination that you wouIt
give Your lives and everything you hat
i'll an endeavC- to make that expression
Of the people effective, so that you wouIc
have not merely in your own hearts rec.
ognition of it, but that you might secur,
recognition of it from every nation
throughout the earth"
This is taken by officials here as af
fording an opportunity for Mr.. De Waller;
to accent settlement of the controyersl
which does not involve a republic.
Further on in his speech Mr.. De Valer;
quoted statesman who had advocated
the principle of self-determination. an,
this to the official mind in Dublin point
to recommendation by the Sim Feil
cabinet to the Dali Eireann to submit tn
/ imperial governments offer to a vote o
| the people of Ireland.
! Meanwhile, according to the. belief ex
| pressed here tonight, Mr.. De Valera ex
| poets the government to apply furthe
pressure on Ulster to enter the propose
Irish dominion while retaining its loca
autonomy. Advices received in Dublin
however, seem to show that the BtIfas
officials are less inclined than ever t
come to an agreement with Dublin.
Big Belfast business men are credite
in these adviees as being increasingl
distrustful of the capacity of the Sin
Fein in practical affairs
No fresh revelations as to the cours
of the negotiations between Mr. Lloy
George and Mr.. De Valera are expecte
during tomorrow's proceedings when M,
DE Valera opens the session with repor
of his department which concerns tn
negotiations, as the correspondence an
todays address are considered to hay
fairly covered the ground