Norwich bulletin., 1922-02-04
BOUNDARY LINE DISPUTE
 WILL HELP DE VALERA

Dublin. Feb. (By the 4. P).-The pressure 1t was contemplated to apply to Ulster to bring her into an all-Ireland parliament was postponed in the hope that a friendly arrangement with Sir James Craig. the Ulster premier. might render it unnecessary. Now that the Craig-CoIlins negotiations have failed, 1t is declared that the original policy is likely to be resumed.
 The basic principle of the treaty re- ga.rddng Ulster provided that Ulster might stay out only if content to retain what she has now, and subject to re- vision of her boundaries. which might mean the handing over to southern Ire land of large areas in the north.
 Sir James Craig's claim last week to additional powers and to the existing boundaries, with merely formal changes. has, In the opinion Of Sim Feiners gen. orally, challenged the essence of the treaty. The provisional government, 1t is contended would be powerless to maintain itself against De Valera's op- position unless it stood firmly by it's own treaty. Members Of the provisional gov ernment maintain that it never had any ! intention of acting otherwise.
 It was assumed in the south that Sir James Craig. being cognizant Of the terms Of the treaty. was willing to carry it out by agreement with southern Ire land. without the intervention of any English arbitrator. But his recent speech at Belfast made It clear that he supposed Mir Collins had agreed to abandonment Of the treaty so far as it concerns the transfer to the south of Catholic popu- lations now allotted to the north Immediately the nationaEsts in the north became impatient the elections in the northern counties of delegates to the A-I . NI-age- i De Vaiera's supporters. and it became necessary for the provisional government
 to prove that the Craig-CoIlins bargain
 was not one-sided affair.
 Arthur Griffith. president of the Dali
 Eireann. made it plain that. failing a satisfactory mutual agreement. the 1 treaty stood. Mir. Collins today reDub- l lished the clause in the treaty relating tc | Ulster, which he said had not been aban. ! doned In any essential particular. The
 statements printed in London and else
 where that the provisional government leontemplates re-imposition Of the boycott
 against Belfast arc declared to be ulerel,
 somewhat premature.
 Mir. Collins agreed with the Ulster pre-
 mier to remove the boycott. if the latte,
 could have removed the ban on CstholI,
 and nationalist workers Tn the Belfas
 shipyards. Sir James did i1is best. bu
 the banned workmen are still out Of en1
 ployment, and the only part Of the Craig
 Collins pact that IS operative Is the par } In favor of Ulster
 The difficulty in. Belfast is not witt the employers. but witFs<he men. Tn
 employers are quite willing to -einstat Catholics and nationalists unconditional
 ly but work at the present time Is slsc and there is no room for the displsce men The Orange workmen met an
 considered the Craig Collins pact an . agreed to l. subject 10 certain cond tions. the principal one of which set fort that in the re-employment Of men prefer
 enoe must be given to those who serve
 in the war. This barred most Of the Sin i Feiners
 n Mir. Collins has stiIi let the door ope by his ofHer to the Ulster p-Snier to hay g a general assembly of all the representa- 0 tives or Ireland. both North and sout e 10 join in drafting constitution for g United Ireland. There is no immediat ? prospect that this offer viii he accepte. 3 and If 1t is found that an agreement can c not be reached, 1t is freely asserted trs d pressure will be applied This will be :. the form of general pressure on Ulste = through the operation in Southern IF. - land Of 8 trade and revenue policy an : administrative action aimed at rnakir s it more profitable for the north to con = In than stay out.