Irish Dinner

A dinner at which prominent men from Northern Ireland and from the Free State assembled was given last week by the Irish Club in London. Sir James Craig, Premier of Ulster, was unable to attend on account of the death of his brother; President (Premier) William T. Cosgrave of the Free State was unable to be present; but Governor General "Tim" Healy of the Irish Free State, "Tay Pay" O'Connor (the only Irish Nationalist member of the House of Commons--known as "the Father of the House"), and the Duke of York, among others, were present.

The Duke of York twitted "Tay Pay." He had, he said, heard only one complaint about him and that was that he was willing to do everything for Ireland except live there.

Governor Healy, "squat and square as the first Napoleon," rose amid cheers to pay tribute to King George for the part he played in the Irish settlement :*

"The turmoil and stress which used to prevail in South Ireland so wrung his Majesty's heart that, but for him, no approach to a truce or settlement would have been possible."

* It is common knowledge that King George insisted upon going to Belfast in 1921 against the advice of his Ministers. Moreover, he wrote his own speech--the speech which called for peace and settlement and which committed the British Government to making an agreement with the South (later the Free State)-- and, so rumor has it, told Premier George, who threatened resignation, that that was the speech he would utter whatever he (the Premier) might do. Lloyd George has never denied this story, perhaps from a desire not to oppose the King; but the chief truth of this bald version of the Kings action is that His Majesty played a leading part in the Irish settlement, as is well proved oy numerous tributes from eminent men.