IRELAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23221, 19 June 1937, Page 21

IRELAND

TO THE EDITOR

Sir. —I was readin" the letters in your paper of “X Y Z” and “Backblocks.” As the latter says, some people rush into print and discuss a subject they know little at all about Of course, the Irish Free State is always wrong, according to their point of view. On the other hand, British statesmen are always right, and their point of view is that England can do no wrong.' It seems to me a poor, onesided attitude to take up, as there are generally two sides to every argument. Whether the Irish Government is wrong regarding the land annuities 1 do not know, because it is a domestic affair between that country and England. I leave it to eminent lawyers of both countries to unravel it. No doubt it will be settled in time , England will probably get her way by economic pressure It seems to be strange, though, that England should be so anxious to collect these debts while refusing to pay her own war debts to America. I think the United States has acted most generously in not pressing for the payment of these war debts. Although the Irish Government may not be paying the land annuities, England is collecting the money just the same, by a tariff on Irish produce and live stock entering the latter country According to one Irish authority, she is collecting her dues twice over in this manner. You can always trust England to “ rub it in ” when she can. During one’s lifetime one hears quite a lot about the wonderful benefits to be derived by living under the British flag, but is it not a fact that the American colonies rose in rebellion because of the wretched treatment meted out to them by British statesmen? Is it not a fact that Egypt was so dissatisfied with British rule that she has practically got complete independence today? And is it not a fact that India desires the same? Further, we have three other portions of the Empire which are not very particular whether they remain under the Union Jack or not, namely—the Irish Free State. South Africa, and Canada Then we have other evidence that the Union Jack is not the flag it is cracked up to be. During the last 100 years millions of foreigners from Europe have migrated to the United States to settle, while only a negligible few have settlea in the British Empire. I think this is a fact that ha:, been overlooked by many people who are continually singing the praises of British justice and British laws. Apparently those people at any rate preferred the Stars and Stripes to the Union Jack. The whole trouble with British people is that !hey think themselves perfect models of virtue.—l am etc., Wellington June 17 A. Bell.