The Washington herald., 1921-12-09
STEELE REVEALS
INSIDE STORY OF
IRISH PEACE
Tells How Correspondent
Started Preliminary
Negotiations.
By JOHN STEELE.


part played by the correspondent Of
The Washington Herald and Chi
cago Tribune in opening the nego-
tiations which, although suspended
mora than once. led eventually 10
the conference in London attended
by the plenipotentiaries who have
just, signed the treaty setting up
the free state Of Ireland as a MEM
her of the British Empire. thus end
ing the centuries old quarrel be-
tween the neighboring countries.
Throughout the troubles in Ire
land it has been my duty to visit
that country frequently. In Octo-
her. 1920. | made an extensive tour
in the South and West, investigating
the campaign of outrages on one
side and reprisals on the other
which was then going on 1t Is not
for me to say on which side were
the outraEes and which the re-
prisals. each accusing the other of
the first act of hostility. At any
rate towns were burned, business
houses bombed and men murdered
or executed.
Interviewed MOylett.
Galway, which was then a storm
center. Police had been killed and
in revenge their comrades had
looted. bombed and destroyed resi-
dences. shops and warehouses be-
longing to the leading SIM FeIners.
Among the sufferers from these re-
prisals was Patrick Moylett,
leading business man of Galway.
He was a large importer, wao1esaie
grocer, and he lived in one of the
finest residences in the neighbor-
hood. Several times his ware
houses had been fired and looted
and his house taken for a barracks
by the auxiliary police, after he
had been given twenty-four hours
to remove his family and furniture.
Mr. Aoylett was also warned that
II he remained in Galway he wouId
ne shot ] sent the full story of
Mr. Moylett to The Herald and
Tribbne, but did not get in touch
with the man himself at that time.
On my return to Dublin. while
hurryineS back to London. 1 called
on Arthur Grifith. then acting
president of the Irish Republic"
Eamonn de Valera being in Amer
lea. He told me that Mr.. Moylett
was in Dublin and urged me to
meet him, so I arranged for the
Galway man to call on me at nv
hotel He came, accompanied by
Desmond Fitzgerald. the Sim Fein
minister Of propaganda. and the
two men spent most Of the after
noon with me.
Arranged for Meeting,
That night I crossed to England
and two days later Mr. Moyletr
called at the London bureau Of The
Washington Herald and Chicago
Tribune. '125 Pail Mall, and after
soma consideration, expressed a de-
sire to get in touch with the Brit
tsh government. Immediately
arranged for Mr.. Moylett to meet
z. j. Phillips. then an important
offfcial in the foreign service and in
close touch with H. A. L. Fisher,
the chairman Of the Irish comm t
tee Of the British cabinet Mr.
Phillips arranged an immediate
meeting which took place in his
room n the foreign Office and this
vas the first Of a series lasting
nearly two months
The first meeting was on October
II. 1920, and after some CONVEX
sation with Phillips and Moylett,
visited Mr.. Fisher. who was much
interested. II was made clear in
the first interview that Mr.. MoyIett
represented the moderate section Of
the m Feln, who wanted peace,
but peace with honor. 1t was not
clear to the British representatives
how far he was authorized to treat.
he returned to Ireland and had a
fgrther conferences with Mr.. Griffith.
then-a meeting of Dali Eireann was
caHed and about a week later a sec
ond meeting between Moylett and
Fhulips was held in The Herald's
London Office. TIL meeting was
followed by mary others.
Acted as Courier.
Mr.. Moylett discussed what the
Irish would be willing to take and
Mr.. Phillips what the English would
be willing to give. 1t was necessary
for Mr.. Moylett to make many
trips to Ireland to discuss points
and TO receive instructions. On one
or two ocCas Ons / acted as courier,
taking verbal messages to Mr. Crit
nth and receiving replies
Lloyd George was informed daily
of the progress of the conversations
and the British always acted under
his directions, although. of course
the matter never reached a point
where he took 4 personal part.
make sure thar MIR. Griffith could
deliver the goods" He was repeat
eddy assured that Mr.. Griffith could,
and events proved TIE truth of this
assurance
In the meantime, other efforts
were going on. Gen. Cockerill. the
chief Of the British Intelligence
Department in the Boer war and
now a member Of Parliament, was
urE nE the prime minister to con-
clude a truCe in Ireland and then
negotiate Gen. Cockerin met Mr..
TOylett several times in The Her
AIDS office. but never at the con-
ferences Of the government. Arch
bishop Clune. OF Australia also was
trying TO bringsthe parties together
and several times he conferred with
Mr.. MoyIett.
E'mculties Overcome.
One Of the difficulties to be over
come was the status of the Irish
rebel parliament with whom. of
course, il would be necessary to
deal At the conferences at the
foreign office. The Herald's office
and elsewhere. the formula was
worked out that Dali was to be rec
Ognized as the elected representa-
tives Of the majority Of the Irish
people" This was easy. for they
had been elected under the British
electoral law.
This point was reached in agree
ment and all believed that the next
step would be the summoning of
Dali for the appointment of nego-
tiators when the burning of Cork