The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-08
OPEN THREAT THAT
 CHAOS IN IRELAND.
 MAY BE PROLONGED.
Events of Past Week Carry Question Beyond One of Ratification of Peace
 With England
By GEORGE N. BARNES

British Parliament Leader Special Wireless Dispatch to The Age Herald
 Copyright, 1921, by Tho Age-Herald.) London, January News from Ireland is both good and bad. De- Valera's maneuver of resignation and subsequent withdrawal and the bit ter debates at Dublin during the last hafe of the week have filled the friends of Ireland in Great Britain with misgivings. The question nat urally has arisen:
 viii Ireland accept the democratic principle of a rule of the majority? Or, will the island be torn with fac- tional warfare when the British troops are removed?
 It is a lack of the spirit of demo- cratic acceptance of majority rule which is so dsquieting. Speakers in the Dail Eireann this week expressed a view which appeared to find pretty wide acceptance, but which strikes at the root of democratic govern ment. He told fellow members of the Dali that they faced merely choice of evils
 "IIither we are to have chaos and war with England" he said, Cor al ternatively. we are to have chaos without war of British soldiers. favor ratification of the treaty only because it will eliminate the sol diers."
 DeValera's message was but little less significant.
 Further Alternative
 But surely there is further alter native. There Is the alternative ei orderly, constructive work without either chaos or war. And that de- bends upon the majority and minorl- ty of the Dali closing up their ranks and showing what rational natlon- alism can do. Rational nationallsm unfortunately has not been conspic- uous elsewhere in the new states created by the war. The multiplicity of states has but multiplied the IT, rationalities. Ireland has the oppor- tunity of redeeming the new practics and principle of self determination from something akin to contempt.
 But Ireland Is a country or contra rieties. No one can predict US iu- ture alignment of parties or forces with any degree of assurance. l am inclined to think, however. that self interest and common sense would bring Ulster into line If the Sim Fein Parliament got settled down to prac- tical work, and I also think SIT James Craig will enforce order In Belfast with a heavy hand as soon as he gets the new authorities duly constituted.
 It has been one of the unexpect- ed developments in Ireland that while the southwest has been law-abidlng and inclined to peace, the northeast has been haunted by evildoers. There is further contrariness in a situa- ton which shows the Sim Fein Par liament somewhat discredited by windy harangues and emotional irrel- evancies, while Premier Craig, at Bel fast, has shown a suavity and wis., dom which has been a revelation
 Dublin Center of Gravity Dublin, however, has been the cen- ter of gravity, for it Is there that the attitude and general psychology of Sim Feinn has been revealing itself. l Despite the fact that the adjourn ment of the debate over the holidays resulted in ample evidence that the people of Ireland desired acceptance | of the Downing street settlement, this pressure of opinion apparently weighed but little with the elected persons at Dublin who launched themselves upon a fresh outburst of turbid talk, ending with DeValera' s declaration that he, for one, would never be a British subject"
 MT. Lloyd George, in firm. yet 1 conciliatory public statement, had made 1t quite clear that neither he nor any other British statesman could go further than the terms of the doc ument already indorsed by the Brit ish Parliament.
 It was under these circumstances ] that discussion on the document with 1 DeValera's alternative plan thrown | in, has been continued since Tues day last, and I am constrained to say the Dublin proceedings have proves somewhat of a trial to the friends of Ireland on this side of the chan mel. Englishmen have the kindliest possible feelings toward the Irish people and are in sympathy with | them in their difficulties.
 But we at least expected that a large view would be taken by Dublin in the new situation which had been | opened.
 | We have found instead a spirit oi | factionalism which threatens new | troubles and possibly new bloodsheo | if, or when. the British forces are withdrawn from the country.
 AN ILLUSTRATION |