Galway In Days Gone By

1921

The northern question

Although there are still difficulties to be faced and overcome before Anglo-Irish differences are adjusted, we may dismiss as much mock heroics the “no surrender” declaration made by Sir James Craig in London last evening.

Avoidable war is an atrocious crime against humanity and civilisation. Future “war” in Ireland can and must be avoided, and a quarrel that has lasted about 750 years can now be brought to a permanent and lasting settlement if only the North-East Ulster intransigents will say the word.

One fact that would appear to emerge clearly enough from all the conflicting rumours of the week is that a conditional arrangement has been arrived at between the British and Irish representatives. It is in pursuance of this conditional arrangement that the Cabinet of the North-East has been summoned to London.

The summons was issued in circumstances which even the Ulster diehards could not afford to ignore. The House of Commons had given Mr. Lloyd George a sweeping majority to bring about Irish Peace. The country has clearly shown that it was behind the Prime Minister in his efforts to do so.

The Press, with one single and notable exception, is unanimous in its declaration that Britain has had enough of troubles without undertaking another “war” against Ireland to the ruin and disgrace of the Empire.

The North-East has been told pretty plainly by newspapers that were once its greatest supporters that it is its duty to make terms with its neighbours for the peace and future security of the British Empire.

All these factors undoubtedly favour peace and indicate that the Irish representatives have succeeded thus far. But peace is not yet. The unruly offspring of British domination in Ireland, which has kept back the final settlement of this country for generations of bloodshed and suffering, if it has set its face towards the path of peace and amity with its neighbours, has so far given no indication to the fact.

Under pressure from a predominating Conservative British Cabinet, that welcome change may come sooner than we expect. As we said last week, if the British Government is sincere in its desire for peace, it will find means to bring it about.

From the business point of view, it would be of immeasurable advantage from the North-Eastern counties to remove themselves from the moral Coventry in which the acts of their own unruly and murderous mobs have placed them.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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