BREAKING THE PARTNERSHIP

Evening Star, Issue 21569, 15 November 1933, Page 9

BREAKING THE PARTNERSHIP

DE VALERA'S METHODS STATEMENT BY DOMINIONS’ MINISTER (British Official Wireless.) Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. RUGBY, November 11. (Received November 15, at 12.20 p.m.) An important statement was made by Hie Secretary of State for the Dominions (Mr J. 11. Thomas) in the House of Commons on the position of the Government of the United Kingdom with regard to the most recent developments in the Irish Free State, and in particular to the three Bills now before the Irish Free State Parliament for amendment of the Irish Free State Coi*stitntion. Mr Thomas said: “We arc advised that this legislation conflicts in important respects with the treaty of 1921, and its passage therefore involves further repudiation of the obligations entered into by the Irish Free State under the treaty. We have already made perfectly clear the view which we take of action of this kind. Quite apart from any question of legality, we look upon it as repudiation of an honourable settlement. No modification of the treaty can properly be made except by agreement between the two countries, but that is not the only aspect of the matter.

“ The real significance of the Bills is that they clearly indicate the intention gradually to eliminate the Crown from the Constitution of the Irish Free State. Mr De Valera has told us, as I said in the House of Commons on June 17, 1932, that the ultimate aim is the recognition of a united Ireland as a republic, with some form of association with the British Commonwealth in some circumstances and for some reasons. and recognition of the King as head of the association. Any such proposals would be totally unacceptable to His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom. “ Our view can be clearly stated. The declaration of the Imperial Conference of 1926 as to the relationship between Great Britain and the dominions under the Crown must be accepted as the basis of the constitutional position of the Irish Free State within the Empire. That declaration is clearly inconsistent with the state of things under which the Irish Free State would bo a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations for some purposes and not for all, and would cease to be united with Great Britain and the dominions by common allegiance to the Crown. Our conception of membership of the British Commonwealth is something entirely different. The Irish Free State, as a member of that Commonwealth, is, as Air Do Valera himself must have now learned, completely free to order her own affairs. Membership of the Commonwealth confers great advantages which by her own action the Irish Free State is tending to lose. These include the privileges of common citizenship, economic advantages in trading, and the opportunity of exerting a powerful influence in international affairs in concert with members of the Commonwealth in the cause of world peace. “These privileges carry with them the responsibility of respect for the Crown, loyal observance of engagements, a spirit of friendship, and cooperation with the other members of the British Commonwealth. It is our desire to see the Irish Free State taking its full share as a member of the Commonwealth not grudgingly, but of her own free will, and accepting the responsibilities and enjoying the privileges. If she renounces one she cannot hope to enjoy the other.” Asked if he proposed to take any steps in consultation with the dominions to emphasise the policy he had indicated, Air Thomas said as the dispute affected Great Britain and the Irish Free State alone, they did not intend to drag the dominions into it.