ABORTIVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 137, 11 June 1932, Page 9

ABORTIVE.

DE VALERA'S VISIT.

CONFERENCE FAILS. _______ Dramatic Last Scene On London Station. ; THOMAS' GESTURE OF DESPAIR (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph-Copyright) (Received 11 a.m.) j LONDON, June 10. Cheers from a large crowd, mingled with some hooting, greeted Mr. do Valera and his party on their arrivel at Euston. They were met by Mr. Thomas and Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, who afterwards took breakfast with them. Exee2>tiomil precautions were taken to guard the sleeping car on the train in which the party remained for some hours after arrival. A large squad of railway police and Scotland Yard specials formed a cordon. The conference with the British Ministers concluded and no agreement was reached. The conversations commenced at 11.30 and were adjourned till 1.20, being resumed after lunch. Not the slightest indication of the line taken in the discussions was revealed and nobody emerged from the building at lunch time, but some change in the plans was obvious, because previously Mr. do Valera'e intention was to devote the afternoon to sight-seeing. "The Sun" learns that the breakdown in the negotiations was duo to Mr. de Valora's insistence on his right to abolish the oath and Britain's insistence that it would violate the treaty. The discussions never progressed beyond this point and were doomed from the outset. When it became abundantly clear that the views of the respective parties were as the poles apart, Britain actually hinted at a willingness to submit the annuities question to the Empire tribunal. That question, however, was never seriously discussed because the oatli deadlock rendered the position hopeless. Meanwhile the Ottawa position is complicated. It is understood that pressure from the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. l<. B. Bennett, was primarily responeible for the British and Trish conferring. Mr. Bennett hoped the conversations would e'ear the atmosphere. There were crowds at Whitehall, many waving Irish flags and vociferously cheering Mr. de Valera when he was motoring to the train, where there was a dramatic climax. Mr. Thomas, sitting in the compartment, facing Mr. de ] Valera was seen leaning across the table shaking hie forefinger, a characteristic gesture, pleading with Mr. de Valera for 10 minutes. Mr. dc Valera silently leant back in his seat without speaking, obviously immovable. The guard's ehrill whistle terminated the drama. Mr. Thomas rose, shook hands and stepped to the platform. He removed hie hat and wiped his brov.- —a gesture of despair. In view of the attitude adopted by Mr. de Valera and his Ministers on the Oath Removal Bill now before the Free State Legislature, the failure of the conference in London caused very little surprise in political circles here. Mr. Thomas told the Press that the conference had passed off quietly and the questions before it were discussed with excellent good humour.