The Washington herald., 1921-09-17
De Valera's Answer Gives
Hope for Further Ne
gOtiations. Il.
LLOYD GEORGE TO
. CONSULT CABINET
Premier May Ask Coun-
try to Back His Pol
icy at Election. So

interned members Of the Irish
b republican army held In the
famous kfIworth camp st Fer
moy. the largest detention pen
I'm Ireland, have escaped
Following the wholesale es-
cape of prisoners nj the Rath
camp. this Jail delivery Is re-
Earded as evidence Of an or ,
ganIEed program which the
prisoners will ATTEMPT TO
carry out at every military
prison I'm ireland. Great mill
tary activity nt and near the
fnterment camps has been no
ticed since the first escape.
LONDON Sept 1s.-The ex-
changes between Lloyd George and
Eamonn de Valera on the matter OF
Irish peace are not yet at an end.
despite the seemingly "finis"
written by the premier yesterday.
De Valera tonight replied 10 the
latest letter from Lloyd George. He
said:
1T would prejudice IreIauds
cause to enter into a conference
without making her position clear"
The Irish leader then pointed out
the necessity. according to the Sim
Fein view, for the negotiators 10
meet ~untrammeled by any condi-
tion except facts"
Sees Hope I'm Cabinet.
While attempting TO recover from
the CONSERVATION which Lloyd
Georges sudden decision to con-
clude the Inverness conference
threw the nation, the Irish symTa-
thizers at least profess TO find
hope that the negotiations may
continue after Lloyd George has
held further consultations with his
cabinet,
1t is admitted that the outlook is
threatening, but neither in Down
ing Street nor in Irish circles are
there to be found officials who will
admit that the negotiations have
definitely failed and that war in
Ireland viii come again.
There is. however. no indication
that Lloyd George will recede from
his position.
Many Irish leaders refuse 10 ac-
cept Lloyd Georges views-that &c
hold the conference on the basis
that the Irish delegates were rep
resenting an independent Ireland
would actually constitute recoE0i-
ton, of the Irish republic. On the
other hand, they argue that IL this
were true. there would be no need
for any conference.
The Star. for example. SAYS:
The phrase sovereign state may
be little more than idealistic HI
bernian verbiage-and that is the
way the more hopeful EnElishmrn
regard the De Valera letter"
Cabinet TO Meet Tuesday.
AS soon as the Premier ~
covers from a slight cold, cabi-
net meetings will be held. prob
ably at Inverness. on Tuesday,
which was TO have been the date Tor
the opening Of the peace psrley.
The Dali Eireann will be called
into session at the same time. II is
believed the Irish leaders will await
Lloyd Georges promised mes
sage after he has consulted his
colleagues before announcing any
further action.
1t is predicted that the premier
will return to London during the
latter part OF next week. and that
he will call Parliament into session
to discuss the governments policy
1t is also rumored that Lloyd
George may decide 70 go TO the
country on the Irish situation, call
ing for a general election I'm which
he could seek public Endorsement Of
his Irish policy and secure support
for his future operations.
Observers in Dublin point out
that a settlement has now beer
made more difficult because S.nr
Fein is pledged TO De Valera's
policy.
IF Lloyd George wants war, he
can have il. But he can't get us &C
break our oath OF allegiance TO Ire
land as a preliminary TO the con-
ference" is the tone taken by one
high republican leader.