ALL SMILES. PRESS OPTIMISTIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 134, 8 June 1932, Page 7

ALL SMILES.

PRESS OPTIMISTIC.

THOMAS PLEASED.

IRISH CONFERENCE.

Optimistic Feeling After Talk

With de Valera.

"ALL FOR THE GOOD."

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received 1:2.30 p.n>.) DUBLIN, June 7

The conversations here regarding the effort of removing the difficulties to negotiation between the Irish Free State delegates to the Ottawa Conference and the British delegates were confined to Mr. J. H. Thomas, Dominions Secretary, and Viscount Jiailshnm, Secretary of War, and Mr. de Valera and Mr. Ueoghcgan, Minister of Justice.

The conference lasted an hour and a half. Mr. Thomas declared: "If any statement is made wo are leaving it to Mr. de Valera, as we are his guests." Viscount Hailsham and Mr. Thomas were 6miling as they left the building and appeared pleased.

' Escorted by a car load of detectives, Mr. J. H. Thomas and Viscount Hailsham arrived at the Government offices, watched by a silent crowd of a thousand strong, who remained while the conference with Mr. de Valera lasted.

Mr. Thomas and Mr. de Valera had never previously met each other. There was a moment of hesitation when they met, then their hands were extended for cordial greetings.

Mr. Thomas was later host to eight of Mr. de Valera's Ministers at a luncheon, at the conclusion of which crowds cheered the visitors and almost mobbed their car.

Few people venture to predict the outcome of Friday's discussions in London, but even those who despair of results emphasise that it is all for the good that Mr. de Valera has abandoned "longrange" defiance in favour of personal contact.

Well-informed people in Ireland predict that the Senate will easily carry the amendment to the Oath Removal Bill. They claim to be able to detect a distinct, apprehensive swing-over in Ireland against cutting the painter and losing the Britisii market.

It is also said that the Irish people are less concerned with the results of the present conference than with how soon the de Valera Government will be forced to go to the country.

General satisfaction is expressed at the visit, as it is many years since a British Cabinet Minister officially came to Dublin. The proverb, "If the mountain won't come to Mahomet, then Mahomet must come to the mountain." aptly expresses the Free State viewpoint.

Favourable Atmosphere Seen

In Ireland

CONCILIATORY SPIRIT

(Received 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, June 7. The Free State High Commissioner, Mr. Dulanty, and the Permanent UnderSecretary to the Dominions Office, Sir Edward Harding, accompanied the British Ministers to Dublin for the conversations. The atmosphere in Ireland 13 regarded as favourable. The Irish newspaper Press, including Mr. de Valera's organ, accepted the announcement of the invitation with a readiness which suggested that they would welcome a settlement.

With the exception of the "Morning Post," the London newspapers also welcome the development. The "Daily Herald" congratulates the Eree State Government on issuing the invitation, and _ the British Government for so readily accepting iiw

"The Times" says that there has never been any desire on the part of the British Government to exclude Mr. de Valera's colleagues from the Ottawa Conference. That is not their business, but the arrangements resulting from the conference must depend upon the confidence which its members repose in one another, and clearly the sudden onesided abrogation of an important treaty could hardly be expected to encourage a repetition of the experiment.

"It is probably true to say that this attitude, in which Mr. Thomas has been absolutely firm and consistent, is endorsed by the whole of the House of Commons with a conviction that would be accorded to no other single item in Government policy. There need be no fear of his abandoning it in his discussions with Mr. de Valera."

_ The "Daily Telegraph," while emphasising that repudiation of agreements by one party against the protest of the other and without consultation is intolerable in itself and a bar to the negotiation of any further agreement, expresses the earnest hope that the present consultations will have good results. Mr. de Valera's invitation, it odds, is an earnest of the good will which has been readily answered, and his willingness to continue the negotiations in London leads to the belief that he had no doubt of the spirit in which he would be met. The "Manchester Guardian" warmly ■welcomes Mr. de Valera's first step away from an impossible position. It says it is only proper that everything in Britain's power should be done to assist him. The refusal to discuss and negotiate on the oath was his. The British refusal to enter into fiscal negotiations. ill preparation for Ottawa was • a corollary of his assertion of the right 1 to interpret the joint instrument of the i treaty as he nleased.