IRISH OATH ABOLITION

Grey River Argus, 6 May 1933, Page 2

IRISH OATH ABOLITION

BRITISH VIEW. DOES NOT AEE EOT ALLEGIANCE. (British Official Wireless). RUGBY, May 4. In a statement regarding the passage of the Free State Removal of Oath Bill, Mr. Thomas, said the United Kingdom Government had made clear its view that the abolition of the oath was in direct conflict with treaty obligations. This was confirmed by the form of Free State legislation. The treaty was the fundamental basis of the position of the Free State and in order to achieve, its object, the Free State had been compelled to include clauses in legislation purporting not only to abolish the requirement of the Parliamentary oath, but also to repeal the provisions of the Constituent Act and the constitution of the Free State, which set out the treaty had the forcV of law, and was the overriding authority in relation to the constitution. The United Kingdom Government considered the passage of tin' Bill would not affect the duty of allegiance to the King, or amount to an act of secession. They were advised that the allegiance of members of the Free State Parliament did not depend upon the swearing of the oath, which by treaty and constitution they were required to take the oath was not in itself a repudiation of allegiance. This did not alter the fact that in view of the United Kingoum Government, removal of the oath was a broach of Ihe treaty.