IRELAND'S FUTURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22161, 15 July 1935, Page 12

IRELAND'S FUTURE

Sir, —A perusal of the letter of your correspondent G. W. Blair on Ireland's future leaves little doubt tbat he is uninformed, or at least misinformed, on the issue in question. President de Valera since he assumed office has with a mandate from the Irish people continued steadily to remove every obstacle which lay in the way of an Irish Republic. His Government has abolished the "Oath of Allegiance," "Appeal to the Privy Council." and he has retained the annuities to England. The Privy Council itself, which is the highest Court in the Empire, has declared that all the acts of the Irish Government are according to law. The internal policy of Mr. de Valera has been one of constructive legislation—building up an economic atmosphere which will last as long as Ireland is a nation. This is the working out in practice of a clear and constitutional plan for a republican and free Ireland. The Ulster Oligarchy is supposed to be an obstacle. If it is one. it is well on thp way toward removal. President de Valera himself is a member ot the Six County Parliament. The busiiness men of industrial Belfast are tired of a state of affairs which closes the lucrative Irish marketto their manufacturers and distributing trade, and just a few days, ago a cablegram appeared in the Auckland >ress that the northern farmer is nearly bankrupt President de Valera is too cultured a diplomat to insult anyone Gratuitously. When he stated that Kins George V. was a foreign king, he did so in the same sense as President Roosevelt could describe him as such. A foreigner is usually taken to mean a member of a sovereign State other than the sovereign State in which one resides. King George V. is a noble and self-sacrificing monarch, and as such lie is esteem, d personally in Ireland. But he is not regarded as the King of Ireland. President de Vaiiera does not "'lord it over the people" of Ireland. He is in power by their free vote, ami by it can be removed, and will be removed, as soon as he fail?; in his duty. Your correspondent in describing Mr. de Valera as larking brains and ability has overlooked the fact that he is Chancellor of the National University of Ireland; that he could be sitting back now in his professor's chair if he did not take up politics; that he made history by his independent and just attitude as President of the League Council at Geneva, and that he has swv cessfully encountered and outpointed the combined diplomats of Great Britain. The Secretary, Irish National Society, : Auckland.