The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-15
BRITISH OFFER IS
 NOT ACCEPTABLE.
 SAYS DEVALERA
Demands lreIand's Right to Choose for Herself the Path She Shall Take to
 Realize Destiny
By Associated Press

l
 licans, has refused to accept the pro-
 posals of the British government,
 constituting dominion government
 and having as their basis the bring
 ing about of peace in Ireland. He
 declares that the condition sought
 to be imposed constitute interference
 in Irish affairs and control, which
 cannot be permitted.
 On the other hand, MT. Lloyd George has informed Mir de Valera
 that there can be no compromise on | the question of the right of Ireland l to secede from her allegiance to the s King. The premier tells MT. DeVa-
 lera that the conditions of the pro
 posed settlement contain no desire | on the part of Great Britain for Brit 1 ish ascendencany over Ireland and
 the impairment of lreland's national | ideals.
 | Our proposals present to the Irish | people" says the premier, "an oppor- | tunity such as never has >dawned in | them in a sincere desire to achieve 1 peace, but beyond them we cannot | go'
 Mir Lloyd George leaves open the door for possible further negotiations with Mir, DeValera by saying that the government will discuss the applca- l tion of the principles of it's offer whenever acceptance of the prinei- ples are communicated to him" Craig Note Published Simultaneously with the making
 public of the correspondence between MT. Lloyd George and DeValera a note to the premier signed by Str
 James Craig, the Ulster leader was published This note, after declar- | ing the loyalty of the people of | Ulster to the empire, declares that in the interest of peace they con-
 sented to the establishment of Par liament in northern Ireland and now
 are carrying out their part of that compact while the southern Irish
 men have chosen to repudiate the l government of Ireland act and press i Great Britain for wider powers. it adds that to join in such pressure 9 | would be repugnant to the people of
 northern Ireland.
 | The note declares that Listers &C., ceptance of an invitation to meet the l government in conference holds good, ] but that no meeting between Mir. | DeValera and Sir James is possible until neValera recognizes that north
 ern Ireland will not submit to any | other authority than the king and | Parliament and admits the sanctity
 of the existing powers and privileges
 of the Parliament and government
 of northern Ireland.
 The official records in the Irish ] peace negotiations were made public l unexpectedly today They show
 seemingly a deadlock, based on two 1 vital differences between DeValera | and the premier--DeValera's renewed l insistence on independnc and that | Ulster shall be regarded merely as
 minority faction of an Irish nation.
 The disclosures constitute the keen
 est political sensation since the close | of the war The politicians of both
 England and Ireland tonight were 1 discussing the question whether the
 door had been closed on further ne- l gotiations. They seemed to find In l the conciliatory tone of the cores l pondence, however. ground for hope that some bridge might yet be built across the chasm of difference + | was the concensus of opinion that all i depends upon the temper of the Dali Eireann when 1t meets in Dublin on
 Tuesday, but that altogether Ireland l stands at present at the most crit
 teal point of her history.
 De vaiern's Letter l On August 10 Eamonn de Valera laddressed the following communica- l ton to Premier Lloyd George. .On the occasion of our last in- | terview 1 gave it as my opinion that
 the Irish people would not accept the
 proposals of your government, set
 forth in draft July 20 Having con
 suited by colleag gues and with them given these proposals most earnest consideration, I now confirm that 1 judgment
 "The outline given in the draft is i self-contradictory and the princi- pie of the pact not easy to deter i minte. To the extent that it im- l niles recognition of lreland's sepa- 1 rate nationhood and her right to 1 self lf-determination, we appreciate
 and accept if.
 But in the stipulations and ex-
 press conditions concerning vital
 matters. the principle is strangely | set aside and a claim advanced by
 your government to an interference | in our affairs and to eontrol
 which we cannot admit.
 l Must Choose own Path l "Ireland's right to choose for her
 self the path she shall take to realize
 her own destiny must be accepted as lindefea sible It is right that has { been fndinldincu thipNoH 1 oppression. at the cost Of unpara- lelled sacrifices and untold suffering We cannot propose to abrogate or impair it nor can Great Britain or
 any other foreign state or group or | states claim to interfere with us ] exercise in order to serve their own | special interests"
 1 Declaring that it is lreiand's de- l sire 10 be free of imperiaiistic en- ltaneIements which will prove de-
 structive of Irish ideals and be fruit full only of ruinous wars and crush ling taxation, Mir. De Balera says;
 Like the small states Of Europe, the Irish people are prepared to hazard their independence on the basis of moral right. confident that as they would threatenn no nation or neople they would. in turn, be free from aggression themselves
 Asserting that this Is the policy that Irishmen have declared for in | plebiscite after plebiscite. Mir De 1 Valera continues:
 Separation Means Friendship :. l GAS for myself and my colleagues. iour deep conviction is that true
 friepdship with England. which military coercion has frustrated for
 centurles can be obtained most
 readily now through amicable but absolute separation. The fear which
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