The Washington herald., 1922-02-12


DUBLIN, Feb. 11.-Now and not
later Is the time for the uuifica-
tion of Ireland. Michael Collins as
serted in an interview. which comes
nearer to a statement of the pro-
visional governments policy than
anything that has been said.
Responding to n question about
his ambitions toward uniting the
!sland and what would be his prob
able attitude should Ulster not
prove to be conciliatory. he said:
Tho essential unity of Ireland
has been our hope from the be-
ginning Of the negotiations. 1t has
been mentioned that by a policy OF
delimiting boundaries or tariffs or
by coercion We could force the
Northeast into entering ireland.
Perhaps we could. but my idea In
to get 1t in now and with that in
view I made proposal that all the
Irish representatives should meet
together. There should not be a
policy Of forcing or coaxing tn.
Northeast. 1t should be a question
Of all coming together on equal
terms. without privileges or pref
udices.
"shut Fist" Proverb.
IT do not think that Sir James
Craig Is an unreasonable man. He
Is being forced into an unreason-
able position by his extremists. At
the present moment we are making
every possible effort for peace in
the North hiIt II tv,x
that the North is adopting an at
titude Of no conciliation 1 can only
say in the words OF an old Irish
proverb. the closed hand gets the
shut fist.
81 believe the people should have
an immediate opportunity of voting
on the treaty. Acceptance will
give us the necessary power to
carry the treaty into effect and to
enter into the necessary obliga-
tions. There are many pressing
industrial problems to be dealt
with. There is acute economic dis
tress which urgently needs relief.
The date of the election will be
announced as soon as we are in a
position to do So"
Urges Sex Equality.
Mr.. Collins thought that eaua,
suffrage for women was a question
for the stable government to decide
on. but personally he believed IN
equality for women and l shall
advocate giving expression to that
equality in every necessary way"
Regarding the transfer of obi =.
cations from the British to the
Irish government. such as the war
debt. pensions, etc. he said:
When the Irish delegation was
in London its claim more than
counterbalanced the British claim
for the war debt. The Irish have
every claim to over taxation. An
agreed arbiter will decide on these
claims. The question of current
taxation is not of the first import
ance. We are making mutual ar
rangements with the British 10
avoid interfering unduly with the
flow of revenue. Only when a final
adjustment is made can these ques-
tions be disposed of.
Advocates Repayment.
ANY Irish government must con-
clude the land purchase. While 1
am not able to state the lines on
DC "OThSu out, more
regard, must be paid to the real
value Of the land and more regard
must be paid to the utilization Of
the land in the new policy than
prevailed under the old"
Stating that the foreign debts
would depend on the conclusions of
the arbiter. Mr.. Collins said he was
not sure whether Ireland would as
gfI 4f
He said he would continue to ad-
vocate the policy that the new gov
ernment pay back the money raised
In the United States and elsewhere
to support the Dali. but he pointed
out that some of the money came
as gifts and does not have to be
returned.
The Sim Fcin convention which
Will be held here on February 81
VIII vote on the treaty. Mr.. Collins
said, and the provisional govern
ment personnel has been SO busy
that 1t has not been able to present
its side to the Sim Fein clubs and
the republicans have taken ad-
vantage of this. But when the gen.
eral election comes he declared the
leaders of the present government
will go before the people.
Work, Not Dreams.
I'VE can accomplish everything
under the treaty" he said. I'VE can
make Ireland a country worth liv-
ing in. We can get along without
any outside participation in our af-
fairs. We can restore our own CIV
ilization and our own ancient GUS
toms. We can make the inhabi-
tants. happy and contented."
In a reply to cannon de Valera q
attack on the treaty, and to his an
nouncement that he would launch a
campaign against It,. Mr.. Collins
said: II stand where I have always
stood, for the freedom of my coun-
try. The treaty is basis for fu-
ture Irish Independence as IL is a
treaty made between equals. Never
again will there be any question of
the British subjugating or dominat-
ing our people"
fG~rw~S~kk roo1