SERIOUS CLEAVAGE IN THE DAIL CABINET.
MR. DE VALERA’S CALL TO THE IRISH PEOPLE.
TREATY NOT RECOMMENDED. FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. DUBLIN, Thursday.
It is easy to misread the signs. The Dail’s Cabinet secrets are more closely guarded than ever, and that is as good as saying that no hint of the course negotiations are taking is passing beyond the four walls of the Cabinet’s drawing-room at the Dublin Mansion House. Therefore, it must be accepted that nothing I write has any official confirmation. But it is impossible to draw any other conclusion from the fact that the Cabinet has sat for five hours, and is meeting again at a quarter to eight to-night, than that matters are not proceeding with such unanimity as will make it certain that the terms of the Treaty will be agreed to by every Minister of Cabinet rank. Two members who are credited with holding extreme views left the second sitting before their colleagues, and current gossip that they do not see eye to eye with the five gentlemen lately in London may have some substance in fact. We must wait and see. But it would be unwise to ignore two things: First, that many persons who are supposed to be in touch with Sinn Fein opinion do not like the form of the oath of allegiance, and, secondly, that a deputation of Ulster Sinn Feiners and Nationalists, who are opposed to partition, waited on Mr. De Valera this morning. Possibly the long Cabinet sitting may result in reconciling all the sections, but the optimistic feeling that Dail Eireann would accept the terms of peace which their plenipotentiaries signed is less apparent to-night. The decision to set the interned prisoners free will not have any effect upon the Cabinet’s conclusions, but it has thoroughly delighted the public. Throughout the day there have been bright scenes in the streets of Dublin. All the prisoners at Kilmainham were released this morning. From a number of internment camps men who were given their liberty have reached the city, and shrill cries of triumph have passed from motors and jaunting-cars, to find an echo from the footpaths. Many more men will be released tomorrow.
DUBLIN, Thursday Night.
Grave news of serious Cabinet dissension over the terms is feared. The meeting broke up at twenty minutes to ten, having lasted six and a half hours, and at half-past ten an official gave notice that Mr. De Valera was issuing a statement at half-past eleven. Only a few members of the Cabinet left the Mansion House, and it was ominous that they included Mr. Griffith and Mr. Michael Collins, who did not remain for the drafting of the statement. These gentlemen looked serious, and a Minister, asked if he had brought home his hopes, shrugged his shoulders and held out his hands. I hear unofficially that Mr. Griffith, Mr. Collins, Mr. Barton, and Mr. Cosgrave are for accepting the Treaty, and that its terms are opposed by Mr. De Valera, Mr. Charles Burgess (Minister of Defence), and Mr. Stack (Minister for Home Affairs).
DUBLIN, Thursday (Midnight).
Mr. De Valera just issued the following statement: Fellow Gails – You have seen in the public Press the text of the proposed Treaty with Great Britain. The terms of this agreement are in violent conflict with the wishes of the majority of this nation, as expressed freely in successive elections during the past three years. I feel it my duty to inform you immediately that I cannot recommend the acceptance of this treaty either to Dail Eireann or to the country. In this attitude I am supported by the Ministers for Home Affairs and Defence. A public session of Dail Eireann is being summoned for Wednesday next, at eleven o’clock. I ask the people to maintain during the interval the same discipline as heretofore.