The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-05-31
BY ED l.. KEEN.

ny Ell Il. hEEN.
London. May 31.-Threat that the
British government may again as.
sumo control of Ireland was made
IN the house Of commons today by
Winston Churchill. minister for the
colonies.
The colonial minister made his
statement on Irish affairs to n
crowded house.
He declared that II Eamon De
Valera and other members of tho
Dali Eireann cabinet refuses to sign
the prescribed declaration of al
legiance to the crown. embodied in
the peace treaty establishing a free
state, Great Britain will consider
the treaty broken.
'ln that event. Churchill de
clared, "the imperial government
will resume liberty of action in
Ireland"
Michael Collins and Arthur Grif-
filth were in the gallery and heard
Churchill's challenge. They held
brief informal conference with Lloyd
George early today and then went
to the house.
Carry Out Agreement.
"The government under no cir
cumstances will deviate from the
strict letter and honest spirit of the
Irish peace treaty" Churchill con-
tinued. He explained that Iritain
was prepared to carry out It's part
Of the compact and that similar adj
herence to the treaty would be de-
manded of the Irish.
Inclusion in southern Irish gov
ernment of lrishmen who were not
prepared to uphold the treaty was a
violation of the pact, he said.
"The government will resume lib
erty of action towards reland if the
treaty is not lived up to-" Churchill
said, whether that action includes
resumption of powers which have
been transferred to the Irish, or re-
occupation of territory which they
(the government may think ap-
and proportionate to the
gravity of the breach"
The colonial secretary declared he
was able to make only an interim
statement about Ireland.
Until ten days ago. he said, "the
provisional government of the Irish
free state appeared resolved to en-
force free elections and if necessary
to put down forcibly all armed re-
bellion.
Consequences Serious.
"The consequences of the Collins |
De Valera agreement, however are |
serious. The new government strikes |
directly at provisions of our treaty. |
It seems probable that under such
agreement, Irishmen will be unable
o give free expression to their
views"
Churchill explained the belief of
he British government that free
elections were prevented by the Col
INSIDE Valera coalition government
)lan.
while all the hopes of Ireland
or the future depend upon friendly |
of the north and SOUTH"
Churchill went on, this pact be-
weon Collins and De Valera has
'endered cooperation of the two
IRISH governments doubly difficult
md has driven the parties of Ul-
,ter and southern Ireland ofurther
lpart than ever"
Churchill said he was postponing
discussion of the free state consti-
ution in commons until after the
Nhitsuntide recess.
''If the new constitution is not in
with the treaty, if the
elections are such as to
,revent their effective validity, the
imperial government will feel per-
ectly free to withhold it's assent to
he results until these difficulties
re remedied."
The provisional leaders are not
Icting in bad faith Churchill said
Tor are they working with the re-
,ublicans with the intent to betray
British confidence in reland's good
lame, but they have been misled.