20 AUGUST 1921, Page 2

The Prime Minister, replying on August 13th, made it clear

that no British Government could compromise " on the claim that we should acknowledge the right of Ireland to secede from her allegiance to the King." Ireland must recognize the force of geographical and historical facts. But for those facts there would be no problem to discuss. The British Government could not refer any domestic questions to the arbitration of a foreign power. The Government were glad to have Sinn Fein's ad- mission that Ulster could not be coerced. Great Britain would never permit of such coercion, nor would she refer the Ulster question to foreign arbitration. The Government's proposals gave the Irish an unexampled opportunity. " We have made them in the sincere desire to achieve peace ; but beyond them we cannot go."