New-York tribune., 1922-05-27
Lloyd George to
Hear Irish Il eace
Compact To-day
Signcrs Of London treaty 10
Discuss De Valera.Collins
Truce and sls Effect on
Relations with the Cr0wr1
Allegiance Chief Problem
Griffith, Assures Churchill
Free State Will Stand by
Agreement With England

topt right l9I@, New York Tribune Inc.
LONDON, May % A full meeting of
the signatories to the Anglo-lrish
treaty viii be held ut 10 Downing
Street tomorrow morning under the
charmanship of Premier Lloyd George.
at which the whole situation created
by the Free State-re republican peace
agreement will be thrashcd out This
was decided tonight after day full Of
preliminary Conversations
Arthur Griffith, president Of the Dali
Eireann, was an early caller this morn
ing at the Colonial Office. where he had
a personal talk with Winston Church
i'll, Colonial Secretary. Later Eamon
}. Duggan, Kelvin O'Higgins and Hugh
hennedy, loga! adviser TO the Free
State Cabinet. were called in The
tour irlshmen, of wnom only two, Grif-
nth ana DuCg1n. were signers Of the
treaty with England, spent three hours
explaining to Churchill their view Of
the peace pact which has aroused so
much anxiety OIL this side of the Irish
Sea because Of the feeling that it mega
tived the treaty with England
Free State upholds Treaty
Griffith gave Churchill uneouivocal
assurance on behalf Of the Free
Staters that they were determined to
stand by the treaty with England. The
Dali president called on Kennedy. 10
support his contention legally that the
pact with the De Valera faction was
not inconsistent with the terms of the
treaty
There is reason to believe that
Churchill was greatly treasured by the
attitude of Griffith and his colleagues,
tut at the same time there are ques-
tons still unsettled that need to be
considered. The question over which
the british government is most con-
cerned is whether the republican mem
bers of the proposed Irish coalition
government will be ready to assume
allegiance to the British crown the
point on which the treaty negotiations
almost broke down last December,
After the Irish point of view had
been explained TO Churchill, he re-
ported the result of MS conversation to
Premier Lloyd George and the other
British signatories to the treaty.
Austen Chamberlain, Lord Birkenhead,
Sir Hamar Greenwood and Sir Iaming
Worthington-E Evans. This group. after
considering the matter. decided to call
Joint meeting of the signatories to-
morrow at which Michael Collins,
chairman OF the Free State govern
ment, who left Dublin for London to.
night, viii attend.
The only absentee at the meeting of
britIsh sigratories this afternoon was
S. Gordon Hewart, Lord Chief Jus
tice. On the Irish side at to-morrow's
meeting one of the five signatories is
sure to be absent-Richard Barton.
cousin of Erskine Childers, who is now
a De Valera adherent. 1t is not GER
tain that George Gevsn Duffy, another
Irish signer, will be able to attend to-
morrows meeting.
Premier Foregoes Weekend Rest
Lloyd George had planned to pass
a quiet week end at his country home
at Chequers Court, but he has changed
MS plans and is ready to stay in the
city IN order that the whole Irish situa
ton may be cleared up in readiness for
ChurchllPs announced speech on the
Irish question in the House of Com
mons Monday.
In view of to-day's developments the
situation can be regarded as somewhat
easier, although it is recognized in
brltlsh official circles that Griffith may
not be fully a"thorized to speak for
Collins, and the British are ANXIOUS to
hear Collins's own statement of his
view OF the Significance of His pact
with De Valera. Hope is Q pressed
that this can all be ironed our at to-
morrow's meeting.
Should this hope DC realized the sig
1atorles to the treaty then will take ND
the Ulster question. The Free Staters
have given the British strong cxpres-
sion of their views regarding the Brit
lsh governments share of Responsible
lty for the present unrest in Ulster.
But the government here wants to
knoW the present attitude Of the Free
Staters toward Ulster. in view OF Col
linss assertion That the situation in
the north was one of the reasons that
brought about his agreement with De
Valera.