REMOVAL OF THE OATH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21952, 13 May 1933, Page 13

REMOVAL OF THE OATH

THE FREE STATE’S DECISION HOUSE OF LORDS’ DISCUSSION (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, May 11. (Received May 12, at 8 p.m.) In the House of Lords Lord Danesfort, in seeking an announcement of the exact effect of the passage of the Removal of the Oath Act in the Dail, said this was important to the people of the whole Empire. The passage of the Act did more than remove the oath; it practically abrogated the treaty. If the Act was valid the Free State no longer existed as a dominion. Then what would become of the Constitution? Loyalists and others in the Free State were deeply anxious about the position.

Viscount Elibank said that some people in the Free State claimed that King George was a foreign King. In that event Irish people living in Britain must be foreigners. “ Southern Ireland is behaving in such a way that it makes it difficult to retain patience. The time has come when we ought definitely to say to the Free State what we think of her attitude.”

Lord Parmoor appealed that nothing should be done to increase the friction. The dominion spirit should be encouraged, not discouraged. There was no question of the abrogation of the treaty. Lord Hailsham, after reading the statement made by Mr Thomas in the House of Commons on May 4, added that the Bail’s act had no effect on the treaty or the rights of British citizens born in the Free State or on Article 7, providing for facilities in the Free i State for his Majesty's forces. “The reason is that the treaty is a bargain between Britain and the Free State, and neither party, by unilateral action, can alter the terms of the bargain. Any attempt by one party to alter the bargain would have no legal international effect. Every citizen born in the Free State is born within the King’s allegiance, and nobody so born can get rid of the obligations that allegiance involves. If circumstances did arise whereby the Free State ceased to be part of the Empire serious questions would arise concerning the status of Free State citizens in Britain, but that is hypothetical. I have no hesitation in saying that the treaty between the two nations cannot be altered without the consent of both.” The Marquess of Salisbury said that the attitude of the Free State was an offence not only against Britain but against the whole Empire. She should be told that it had the profound disapproval of every other dominion. Lord Danesfort said Lord Hailsham’s statement would allay great anxiety in the Free State, and would go far towards wise, reflective opinion throughout the Empire. IRISH COMMUNIST PARTY. THE SOVIET’S INTENTIONS. LONDON, May 11. (Received May 12, at 11 p.m.) The Riga correspondent of The Times states that the Soviet is about to create an Independent Irish Communist Party, and a congress will assemble in Ireland on May 27. Units of revolutionary Labour groups will be formed into a section of the Communist Internationale, implicitly obeying Moscow, recruiting the poorest farm labourers and unemployed, undermining Mr de Valera, and spreading anti-religious and anti-British propaganda in preparation for an all-Ireland Soviet Republic.—Times Cable.