17 DECEMBER 1921, Page 2

The meeting of the Dail to consider the Settlement opened

on Wednesday, and produced some particularly lively recriminations between Mr. De Valera and Mr. Michael Collins. Mr. De Valera frankly repeated that there was a split in the Cabinet. In his opinion it had been made perfectly clear that the plenipoten- tiaries were to submit the final draft of the Treaty to the Dublin Cabinet. Ho read the instructions to the plenipotentiaries. Mr. Griffith rose immediately after Mr. De Valera's statement, and asked whether there was any suggestion that the delegates had exceeded their instructions. " Not exceeded," replied Mr. De Valera, " but they were not carried out." Mr. Collins then protested against the unfairness with which the delegates were being treated. One document had been read by Mr. De Valera, but there was another—an earlier document. Mr. Collins read from this document to prove that the delegates were authorized to " negotiate and conclude a Settlement." " I have been called a traitor," he added. " If any man calls me a traitor, I am prepared to meet him at any time." The Dail then decided to hold the rest of the discussion that day in private.