Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE TUESDAY, APRIL 26th., 1938. BRITAIN AND EIRE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 April 1938, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE TUESDAY, APRIL 26th., 1938. BRITAIN AND EIRE.

Q the news that an agreement has t- been negotiated between BriS tain and Eire, will be warmly welcoined throughout the whole EmI pire. The general principle rather >! than the details, is what matters J most, for what may be lacking m the present pact, can be remedied later when the influence of the revived friendship has had time •to work. Experience has shown Jthat in peace-time neither country I can afford to quarrel with the other; should war come, each will be stronger if there is little to limit mutual goodwill. ' It is well to recall at this juncture, that'the treaty, signed in [1921, by Ireland and Britain, projvided, inter alia, (1) that Ireland . should have the same constitutionj al status as the self-governing Do- | minions; (2) that its position in i relation to the Imperial ParliaJ ment should be that of the Doi minion of Canada ; (3) that until lan arrangement should be made , whereby the Free State undertook its own coastal defence, the defence by sea of Great Britain and Ireland should be undertaken by' the Imperial forces; the Free!

State to afford in time of “war or

strained relations” with other powers, such harbour and other facilities as Britain might require; and the establishment of the Irish defence force not to exceed such proportion to the British military establishment as the population of Ireland bears to the population of Great Britain. By the treaty, Northern Ireland was given the option of continuing its separate existence, subject to the award of a “Boundary Commission.” In 1925 the British Government and the two Irish Governments signed an agreement by which the partition of 1920 continues in force as determined by the Act of that year. The commission was discharged from the duty of making an award.

As is well known. Mr. de Valera was not satisfied with treaty terms, and during the last ten years there have been witnessed bickerings, pin-pricks, and economic warfare. Non-payment of land annuities was countered by tariff charges. Negotiations at settlement were tried but failed. However, no useful purpose would be gained by recalling all these regrettable developments. To-day’s duty is to applaud the result of the latest talks, and it is -to be f hoped, that the last has been heard of Anglo-Irish serious differences. History abounds with mistakes on both sides, and this fact alone should prompt the present generation to be eager to start afresh, and endeavour to arrange a fair deal, for the welfare of both.

There is to be no “betrayal” of Ulster by the new agreement. Mr. de Valera stressed the importance of national unity, without probably expecting any advance, meanwhile, in the direction of merging north and south. Britain has no desire for a divided Ireland, but has to abide by Ulster’s desire to be self-governed meanwhile. It is not too much to expect that if the new Anglo-Irish agreement works harmoniously, the reluctance of Ulster to merge with the South will weaken, and a united Ireland may become practical politics sooner than at present, looks possible. Another important issue in the negotiations was defence. Britain has certain treaty rights, but whether these could be enforced in war-time against Irish wishes, is problematical. The new deal, will, it is understood, meet Britain’s request that Irish defence measures should bp immediately strengthened. One report is to the effect, that Britain has asked the Irish Free State to build fortifications round the Irish coasts and is ready to supply all the material, which may cost £2,000,000.