The New York herald., 1922-04-09
DUBLIN FEARS CLASH
OF IRISH ARMIES
People Believe Open War Be-
tween Factions Is Daily
Looming Closer.
LITTLE HOPE OF TRUCE
De Valera Wants Complete
Surrender and Extremists Con-
troll Majority Of Fighters.

Special Gable to THE New YoRK HERALD.
Copyright, 1929, by THE NEw YoRx HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Dublin, April 3. !
The secessionists are outspokenly
aniicable to a compromise with the
Free State. which is reported to be de-
veloping, but the people believe that a
clash between the two Irish armies is
oaily looming closer. 1t is stated that
the attacks Of the secessonists, whicn
are constantly becoming more wide
spread, are not part of concerted plan.
but rather the indication OF a move
rnsnt to prevent the functioning OF the
provisional Government.
The principal hope now Is that the
Government will be able to postpone the
cash until after the election There ar !,
indications that the momentum OF the
secessionist movement has carried It be
yond the control Of the old leaders an |
: is stated that, far from wishing TO
compromise. the Republicans now are
hot even willing to tolerate their o.
runents.
The compromise movement is now re-
garded as almost hopeless because 1t is
follow Eamonn de Valera IL he makes
peace. The movement is rapidly solidi-
flying around the Executive Council and
the brigade commanders in the various
areas. especially the autonomous ones,
though these will be subordinated to the
council after the convention tomorrow,
which probably will ratify the recently
drafted constitution.
Thereafter it is feared the sesessionist
army will be greatly augmented. 1t is
now estimated to contain between SO
and 80 per cent. of the old army. who
are in the hands of men unaterably
opposed to any connection with Eng
land such as the treaty establishes.
Extremists in the Saddle.
The most important of these men are
Mellowes. Robinson and Traynteer,
whose sincerity is not doubted They
believe that Ireland Is being induced to
relinquish her sovereignty under Eng
lands threat of war.
Michael Collins will speak at Wexford
Tomorrow and efforts are made to pre-
vent interference, but 1t is feared that
this will be impossible.
| The army crisis overshadows the
political situation, with the Archbishop
and Lord Mayor of Dublin putting forth
every effort to bring about a truce. 1t
Is reported that nothing has been
| achieved yet. though the strongest pres
sure Is being brought to bear on both
sides for a conference of the principal
leaders to be held during Easter week.
No Chance of Union.
THE NEW York HERALD to-day asked
| De Valera: DO you see any possible
80 fIA varfra no ~ ins
with the complete capitulation of one?'
He replied simply; Frankly, 1 do
not
A high official on the other side in
timated that he was equally convinced
that this is impossible. The principal
hitch to a postponement of the election
| in June is that Arthur Griffith believes
| De Valera desires to delay 1t in the
hope OF dissipating the force of Eng
lands threat of war. which is hanging
other the peoples minds.
| The one hopeful thing in sight is the
new Irish constitution which will be
published in about month. Treaty
| supporters are urging that this be done
sooner. believing that 1t will satisfy the
| Republicans.
| The New York Herald correspondent
| asked De Valera: Gould any consti-
tuition drafted within the limits of the
treaty be satisfactory to the adherents
of the Republican ideal or does the
treaty absolutely preclude this?" His
answer was:
Were 1t possible for the advocates
| of the proposed treaty to frae a con-
stitution which would recognize that the
will of the Irish people is sovereign and
| final In the control of our own ter
ritory and all our own affairs 1t would
of course. satisfy us and we would not
agreement. however, limitations are i'm.
posed which, in my opinion. make the
drafting of such a constitution impos.
sble."
The constitution, the New York Her-l
aid correspondent learns. will express
as far as Is compatible with the treaty
the view held by British parties except
the reactionary unionists that England
\ has no moral right to any control oi