New-York tribune., 1922-02-22
Silan Fein Split
Over De Valera
Cry of Freedom
Continued f,om page onc)

chair and ask the men to quit smoking.
In the debate Collins frankly admit
, ted that if De Valeras motion, which
virtually condemned the Anglo-Irish
treaty, had been put to a vote at the
meeting it would have passed The re
publicans clearly outmaneuvered the
Free Staters, and the only real weapon
that Collins and his partner, Arthur
Griffith, had was the threat of forcing
general election in ireland before the
constitution had been drafted. This
would compel the voters to decide for
or against the treaty without Knowing
what the Irish constitution was to pro-
vide.
De Valera agreed to three months
adjournment Of the Ard Fheis, or Sim
Fem General Assembly, with no de
clslon reached on the treaty provided
no general election were forced in that
lilne, and provided, also, that if Llovd
george tried to coerce Ireland Griffith
would Joln the republican opposition to
the treaty. De Valera refused to with
hold opposition to the treaty in the
Dali Eireann during three months. but
promised that if Collins and Griffith
We're beaten in the republican Parlia-
ment and their Cabinet turned out Of
once ne would see to it that the Irish
people had an opportunity to express
! their attitude toward the treaty.
Army Also Badly Divided
The crux Of the situation is the
army which is badly split. Mulcahv.
its leader, finding himself between two
llres, was forced into the position of
initiating to-night's conference on
compromises Although most of the
delegates hold out little hope for the
esta Enlistment Of common under
standing, they were ready to wait till
tomorrow and give their leaders
chance to discuss the possibilities.
The crowd in the Mansion House
was pugnacious and talkative. De
Valera was something of hero. Black
garbed priests, roughly dressed coun-
trymen, with thick boots and heavy
muffler in place of collar and tie. a
few women like Mary MacSwiney and
Mrs. O'Callahan, and white collar dele
gates sat side by side.
De Valera proved time and again
during the day his magnetic power
over lrishmen. Beaten in the Sim
Fein standing committee, he carried
the questions to the Ard Fheis and won
one success after another. He was at
his best when he submitted his resolu-
ton committing Sim Fein to the re-
publican movement as against the
Free State alternative. He had his
audience cheering wildly, stamping the
floor and waving their hats, veEy much
on the order Of political party CON
vention in the United States.
The "Presidents" first victory was
/. 4
cept open ballots rather than secret, as
proposed, by the standing committee.
De Valera Criticizes Papers
In his opening speech De Valera
warned his hearers that. the press
wasn't giving the treaty question fair
play, end advising them to listen TO
decide He said it was unfortunate
that the Dali Eirann constitution did
not provide, as in the case of the
United States Senate, that questions
affecting Ireland's foreign policy should
have a two-thirds majority. If that
had been the case in the Dali the
treaty with England, he said, would
have been defeated.
~ have faith in the Irish nation
whatever is done here to-day" De Val
era continued. "It would be better to
nave I"O dllHlt5 liSHtIiS iOi ilcldiu
interests that one torn by disscssions
and powerless to do anything.
Don't turn one upon another. | be-
lieve that no other nation on earth can
go solidly together as we Irish. We
are brothers, every one of us; but if
my brother makes mistake, shall
follow him? No power in England can
ever divide me and President Griffith"
Great cheers greeted this announce
ment.
on-Co-operation His Policy
Hinting at the policy he might fol
low if beaten on the treaty issue, De
Valera continued:
"If necessary VIC can carry on non
cooperation policy-a policy of passive
resistance. l would rather see Ireland
flooded with British soldiers than see
US committed to something from which
we have no future escape. Ireland is
a mother country and not an illegiti-
mate child Of England"
He closed with a reiteraton of his
battlecry of six years ago, when he
was first chosen president of "the Irish
republic" "Our colors are nailed to
the mast!"