11 FEBRUARY 1922, Page 1

It is absolutely essential that the Government should clear up

the mystery at once. They should say where they stand. They should inform the nation beyond possibility of further doubt whether they intended, as Mr. Collins avows, that there should be a great change of territory or whether they meant that there should be only such a rectification of the boundaries as would remove from Ulster a few groups of Sinn Feiners, and add to Ulster a few groups of loyalists. Although we have followed Irish affairs with much attention we cannot call to mind any report or speech or letter which gives us reason to believe that there is justification for the view which Mr. Collins takes.