The Dominion THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1927. THE SANCTITY OF THE OATH

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 10, 6 October 1927, Page 8

The Dominion THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1927. THE SANCTITY OF THE OATH

1 An interesting and highly important question of political morality has been raised by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin in a pastoral letter, in which he especially condemns murder and perjury. The pronouncement contains no specific reference to recent events in Ireland, being expressed in the most general terms. It has aroused much interest, however, in view of the fact that on the reassembling of the Free State Parliament, De Valera and his party, the Fianna Fail, will be required to repeat the formula of taking the oath of allegiance if, as on the previous occasion, they desire to take their seats.

Public opinion in Ireland seems to interpret the Archbishop’s letter as a direct hint to De Valera that the taking of the oath is something very much more than an empty formula. If that is really the case, the Fianna Fail has been placed in an awkward dilemma. The oath of allegiance runs: “I do solemnly swear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the Irish Free State as by law established, and that I will be faithful to H.M. King George V, his heirs and successors by law, in virtue of the common citizenship of Ireland with Great Britain and her adherence to and membership of the group of nations forming the British Commonwealth of. Nations.” Here is an explicit moral commitment, involving on the part of the oath-taker the whole spirit and intention of the obligation. This the Fianna Fail on a previous occasion expressly repudiated in a manifesto addressed to the Irish people: “So that there may be no doubt as to their attitude, and no misunderstanding of their action,” said the manifesto, “the Fianna Fail deputies hereby give public notice in advance to the Irish people and to all whom it may concern that they purpose to regard the declaration as an empty formality, and repeat that their only allegiance is to the Irish nation, and that it will be given to no other power or authority.” These two quotations, placed in juxtaposition, emphasise the point of the Archbishop’s letter in which he declares that “he who swears on oath should stand in truth, judgment, and justice, for to call God to witness a lie or a false promise is a terrible outrage on the God of truth.” With 57 seats at stake in the jiew Dial, De Valera will no doubt call upon the Fianna Fail to take the oath again in terms of the previous manifesto. On this occasion, however, he will be seriously embarrassed by the Archbishop’s injunction against making a false promise. Assuming that the Archbishop’s letter, was issued with the special intention of calling the Fianna Fail to order on a matter of morality, the taking of the oath in the face of such an injunction would raise an issue involving the vindication of the authority of the Roman Catholic Church in the Irish' Free State. The Irish, traditionally, are a deeply religious people, and very strongly influenced by the counsels of their spiritual leaders. It may be that the leaders of the Fianna Fail are not prepared to allow the Church to intervene in political, matters, but i» this particular question they may have to reckon with their constituencies from the standpoint of religious sentiment.