The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-17
"Die Hard" Amendment
Of Censure Overwhelm-
ingly Defeated.
ACTUAL RATIFYING
EXPECTED MONDAY
Emphasis Is Laid on Feel
ing in America To-
ward Question.

LONDON, Dec. 16.-Defeating by
an overwhelming majority the die
hard" amendment to Parliament's
reply to the Kings speech, which
would have censured the Irish peace
treaty, and having passed the orig
lnal motion upholding the treaty.
botn houses of Parliament have pro-
gressed a step further towards ac-
tual ratification of the agreement
which probably will occur Monday.
To all intents the act has passed
through Parliament. in spite of the
bitter opposition OF Unionists and
Ulsterites. IT awaits only formal
ratification--provid it IL accepted
by the Dali Eireann-to become a
law, and the vote of commons and
Lords today is sufficient guarantee
that England will accept il.
The address to the King, which
now STANDS as Parliaments
expression of faith in the treaty,
recites that I'VE are now ready to
confirm and ratify these articles in
order that they may be established
forever by mutual consent of the
peoples of Great Britain-Ireland."
Lloyd Georges Denial.
The debate in both houses toword
the close of the session was colorless
in the main except for the unhappy
experience of Austen Chamberlain in
commons when he was forced to de-
tend the treaty against the bitter
enders OF his own party
The other feature of the day was
Lord Birkenhead's speech to the
house of lords. which is considered by
many the greatest of his career
Lloyd George's sole contribution to
the debate was his denial that he
had said that If Sim Fein should win
a majority in the counties OF Tyrone
and Fermana gh. then they would re-
ceive the entire counties.
Explaining the clause under which
a commission will be appointed to de-
limit the boundaries OF Ulster. in
the probable event the north refuses
TO Join the free State, Winston
churchill declared that a revision of
the territory was planned both from
economic and geographical stand
points, so that some territory now
excluded from the north sould enter
ulster, while those who wished to
separate from Ulster would have that
opportunity
Stresses America's Views,
There is much in the treaty
which might have assumed a diff
terent form of expression il | and
my colleagues had been able to i'm
press our views upon those with
"hom we negotiated" Lord Birken-
n
lords.
Speaking before the American
Luncheon Club, both Lord Birken-
mead ana winston Churchill laid
great stress upon the fact that Ire
and IS now the only point of dis
senslon between Great Britain and
the United States.
know of no cause of a mar
rel between us that can be dis
cerned at this time save one" " s.id
Lord Birkenhead. "I do know tbat
there is the specter of the Irish
quarrel which for decades H.
clouded our relationship. and evan
at this moment do nor Inc,
whether we have laid this snecter
The road is still obscure and AL,
but We have done more to banish
il from the last trench of misnnda
standing than any of our predece,-
sors in the past 200 years"
Churchill, speaking of the Wash
ington conference, declared ,ba,
notable event had been British ana
American cooperation, and thar ali
danger of naval competition or .,
war in the Pacific had been removad
while the Anglo-Japanesc alliance
had been done away with.
Foresees New Era,
There is, therefore. ONLY ons
question dividing the English-snaaL
ing peoples" he said, "and MAJ !.
the formidable question of Ireland
l do not know what the future has
III store. but il our hopes for Ire
land are materialized, then there
VIII be new Anglo American err "
Continuing his fight for the treaty
In the house of lords, Birkenbead
told the members that the govern
ment either had to carry cut tho
policy of coercion and ,reprtssIon in
ireland. or take the conrse IL had
adopted.
Our difficulties lie in ATTEMPTING
to convince the mediaevalists amonp
us that the world has really under
gone considerable notifications in
the past four years" he said. And
with adequate protection for Ulster
we have given a population which
is Overwhelmingly homogeneous an
opportunity to take its place bv the
side of the other communities of
the British Empire"
Adjournment was taken until
Monday in view of the uncertainty
in the Dublin situation and in order
to await the formal action of tho natl
Eireann. Final ratification probably
Will be withheld until late Monday
in order that the King need not sign
the act until it has formally passed
both. legislatures. There will he NO
more formal debate, according to
present indications.
AIR MAIL LINE LINKS