REPLY TO BRITAIN

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 89, 30 March 1932, Page 8

REPLY TO BRITAIN

COMPLETED BY DE VALERA NATURE OF THE OATH. REPUBLICANS HOLD THE STAGE. London, March 28. Mr. De Valera has completed the draft of his reply to Britain and submits it to his Cabinet to-morrow. It is believed that he at length sets out bis argument that the oath contained in the constitution has nothing to do with the treaty.

The reply will reach Downing Street probably on Thursday. It is understood that the papers will not be issued to the press till the whole of the correspondence is completed. The “Daily Telegraph’s’’ Dublic correspondent says that Republicans at present hold the Irish stage and are also straining every nerve to work up anti-British feeling in readiness for a diplomatic deadlock. The Republican army is taking advantage of the present wave of Republicanism and to-day began a great campaign to attract recruits, approaching young unemployed men in the streets. Many are sure to be sworn in in the next two or three weeks. The cessation of emigration to America is helping the revolutionaries. Mr. Cosgrave and all his party organisations are maintaining silence till the Dail reassembles in three weeks. Mr. Cosgrave’s home is continually guarded by detectives and Civic Guards. LABOUR’S PART. Whatever de Valera might wish to do did he have a free hand, his hands are tied by the necessary Labour alliance, said John Steele, the Dublin coriesponueuu of the “Chicago Tribune/' last month. There will be no denunciation of the Treaty with England, as Labour has made perfectly clear that this will not. be allowed, iho Labour watchword is to forget politics for the present and concentrate on economic reconstruction. It will not object to deletion of the oath of allegiance to King George from the Constitution, but maintains, as does de Valera, that this is not an essential part of the Treaty and that its deletion does not mean withdrawal from the British Commonwealth of nations.

Fianna Fail lawyers maintain that in the Treaty the Oath is not obligatory but is optional. Since it inserted by the Constitution by the Free State legislature, they contend the legislature may delete it without violation of the Treaty. They hold that the words of the Treaty read that “the oath is to be taken,” and not that the oa.th “shall” be taken. In any case de Valera himself and his chief lieutenant, Sean Lemass, make it clear that they have no intention of denouncing the Treaty and seceding from the Empire in the near future.

What may prove to be a serious snag will arise when de Valera deals with the young extremists. He is pledged to repeal the Public Safety Act, under which a number of young Republican “gunmen” are in prison. When these are turned loose they will demand that de Valera immediately carry out his old promises to cut loose from England. Labour, however, will not allow him to do so, even if he is so inclined, and those disappointed young men may prove as troublesome to him as they were to the present Government. Many shrewd politicians to-day declared that he may have to think twice before repealing the Act, or that if he does repeal it, he may have to re-enact it liefore long. De Valera professes to believe that removal of the Oath will satisfy the extremists who will now have nothing to prevent them from entering the Dail and adopting constitutional methods. Further speculation is based on the slender character of the majority. Talk ol a coalition in a few months is being revived. The present Government party will look favourably on such a move ,but de Valera still declares there is no need for it and that he can govern alone.

The man most mentioned by advocates of coalition for President is Senmas Dillon, son of the late John Dillon, the famous Irish leader. Dillon was elected as an Independent, but has never been closely identified with either of the major Free State parties and commands the respect of all. He would also nave the confidence of banks and business men of the community, on whose support the national loans and the country's credit depends to a large extent.