CHURCHES’ REPLIES

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 259, 28 July 1932, Page 9

CHURCHES’ REPLIES

Mediation in AngloIrish Dispute

MR. LANSBURY’S APPEAL

London, July 26.

The Pope has not replied to Mr. George Lansbury’s suggestion for his mediation in the Anglo-Irish dispute. The Archbishop of Canterbury expressed a willingness to co-operate with the heads of other churches, but suggested that Mr. Ramsay MacDonald had done all that was possible to persuade Mr. de Valera to be reasonable. The President of the Free Church Council considers intervention at present inadvisable. The Chief Rabbi deprecates action. ■ Mr. Lansbury has replied, expressing extreme disappointment and requesting reconsideration of the decisions, adding: “Economic war is a 'terrible weapon, and may lead to more devastating consequences.” He urges all three to consider asking Mr. MacDonald and Mr. de Valera to discuss the matter of the application of religious principles. “They should find a way out between Ireland’s wish for a free choice and England’s desire for a limited choice of arbitrators.”

Mr. George Lansbury, Leader of the Opposition, recently telegraphed to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Pope, the Chief Rabbi, and the President of the Free Churches, urging “in the name of common religion joint action and mediation to end the senseless and. wicked Anglo-Irish dispute by arbitration; Mutual peace is more important than national punctiliousness about money.” NEW IRISH DUTIES Effects in England London, July 26. Steel interests declare that the Irish duties are not likely to create real hardship because of insufficiency of exports. The cement and electrical industries are seriously hit, while sugar merchants say that the duties will kill the English sugar trade in Ireland. I.R.A. OFFICER De Valera Orders Release London, July 26. After three hours’ Cabinet discussion Mr. de Valera has ordered the release of Gerald Dempsey, an officer of the Republican Army, who a fortnight ago was charged with the illegal possession of firearms, and sent to prison for three months for contempt of court. The release follows a number of stormy meetings organised by the Republican Army demanding Dempsey’s release, '_____