FREE, BUT LINKED

Evening Star, Issue 25635, 8 November 1945, Page 5

FREE, BUT LINKED

EIRE'S DUAL POSITION DOMINION STATUS REJECTED DUBLIN, November 6. “We are not prepared to accept allegiance to*the British Crown,” said Mr de Valera, addressing the annual convention of the Fianna Fail. “My unerring aim has always been to try to establish good neighbourly relations between the two countries on the basis of the same freedom tha£ Britain herself enjoys. King George is not our King. Our use - of his signature is simply the mark of the association of this country with the other British groups of States.” He added that Eire had always been willing to be in association with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, in which there were large numbers .of Irish, but Eire rejected dominion status. Nevertheless, he valued the links. which he accepted as keeping Eire in the British Commonwealth, and he had no intention of severing them. Replying to speakers who urged the severance of the links, Mr de Valera said they did not understand the. position. There was nothing inconsistent with Eire’s political status in having King George sign the same document for Eire as for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, or South Africa. Irish leaders always recognised that some form of association with, the groups .of British nations -was desirable and inevitable, and declared Eire a sovereign independent republic. There was nothing inconsistent with that status in the procedure followed in signing letters of credence. Returning thanks for his re-election as Leader of Fianna Fail, Mr de Valera referred to the partition of the country, saying that their task was to end it. He added: “As long as partition exists there can never ho goodwill between Ireland and Britain. Partition affects Irish people so deeply that I have not the slightest doubt that if we were a great Power, with force at our command the desire to end partition would express itself in force.”