The letter which General Smuts. addressed to Mr. de Valera on the Irish situation, reproduced in another column, is probably the most level-headed summing up of the whole matter that has been made for a very long time past. Particular value attaches to it by" reason of the fact that it is the-opinion of a third party, probably as well informed of the facts as either of the two contending part ies. A republic, he says in fact, impossible it would entail complete severance from the Empire. And his remark that the Premier's offer of Dominion status gives Ireland something which, if it is good enough for the Colonies, is good enough for her, has the pungency of truth about it which can neither be denied nor discounted. That ho: suggests the advisability of leaving the Ulster question alone for the present will surely not commend itself to Sinn Fein, but if the South African Premier's letter is any guide to Mr. de Valera at all, 1 should serve to indicate that the: 4 possibility of a compromise is too-great lightly to be disregarded. Tf it should be, Sinn Fein and not: Great Britain will be the losers.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.