The Washington times., 1922-09-24

dClOuS. IIt COuIluucu
"I have explained how we consid-
cred every phase of the situation
before finally deciding to accept the
offer. want to make II absolutely
plain that at the conclusion OF our
deliberations we had abandoned for
the time being the hope Of achieving
the ideal of an isolated republic.
View Opposed In Ulster.
For any Of the men who partici'
pated in those conferences to pre-
tend otherwise Is abominable. We all
clearly recognized that our national
view was not shared by the majority
in the four northeastern counties.
1--WE knew that that majority had
refused to give allegiance to an irish
republic. We knew that they would
not acquiesce In any kind Of isolation
from Britain. Before we undertook
the treaty negotiations we realized
these facts among ourselves. .
Had we not realized theni-had
we not accepted them as facts-there
would have been no negotiations.
Let there be no doubt about that. .
"It is true that before we accepted
the invitation sent by Mr.. LLOYD
George we endeavored to get an un.
fettered basis for the conference. Ana
after negotiations had been begun
as l shall presently point out-we
continued to try.
Document No. 2 was an instance
Of this endeavor. But we did not
succeed. Again and again we as
serted our claim that the pienlpo-
tentiaries could enter such a confer
ence only az the spokesmeh oi ai'
independent sovereign state.
/ Went without Recognition.
"It was a claim Britain tacitly ad-
mitted in inviting us to negotiate at
all, but the fact remains that we
finally went to London without rec
ognition Of our nation as an lnde-
pedent covereign state.
1--WE went-and in going we ad'
mitted that there was possibility
Of the Irish people reconciling irish
national aspirations with assocla-
ton of Ireland with the group OF ma
tions known as the British common
wealth Let us not fool ourselves
about that! -,
"Those who cannot, or who will
not look these facts in the face
blame US now and more than blame
us. They find fault with US because
in agreeing to some kind OF associa-
ton Of our nation with the britlsh
nations we were not able, by the
touch of a magic wand, to get rid OF
all language Of empire. That is not u
fair attitude.
I'VE like that language no more,
perhaps less, than do, those who wish
TO make us responsible for its pres
eryation. 1t is Britain's affair, not
ours, that she cares to preserve the
prevarications of obsolete feudalism.
King a Figurehead.
"The British Empire is what it 10.
It is what it is with all its trappings,
It's symbols Of monarchy. it's feudal
phraseology, it's obsolete oaths OF
allegiance-its king figurehead,
having no individual power as a
king-maintaining the unhealthy at
mosphere of medieval subserVience
translated into modern snobbery.
But these are things that are not
to be dissipated by the waving OF a
magic wand!
Moreover, the result Of our de-
liberations speaks for itself-we
entered into negotiations with that
empire, and its language Is the IAN
guage we had to speak.
'It is not any verbiage about
sovereignty which can assure our
power to shape our destinies. The
important thing is to grasp every
thing which is Of benefit to us, to
manage things for ourselves, to make
such a constitution as suits our.
selves, to make our government and
restore our national life in the lines
uhicb s,,it o,,r national character
and our national requirement best,
."It Is now only fratricidal strife
which can prevent us from making
the Gaelic ireland which Is our
goal"