EIRE LEADER REBUFFED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24828, 30 January 1942, Page 5

EIRE LEADER REBUFFED

ULSTER'S REPLY TO PROTEST " NO RIGHT TO INTERFERE " LONDON, Jan. 28. "Mr de Valera has no right to interfere in Northern Ireland's affairs and has no claim of sovereignty over Northern Ireland," said the Prime Minister. Mr J. Andrews, replying to Mr de Valera's protest against the arrival of American troops. He added: "The presence of American forces is part of a vast strategic plan for the defeat of the Axis. Therefore, we doubly welcome the Americans, and are nroud to be associated with them in the war. No doubt Mr de Valera would have prevented their arrival if he could, just as he denied Great Britain and America the use of naval bases in Eire. This folly has seriously hampered the British Navy in the Battle of the Atlantic, and meant the sacrifice of thousands of gallant lives. Eire, for political and other reasons, may choose to stand aside, but Northern Ireland is in the fight for freedom and intends to see it through." BERLIN'S COMMENT. "A MANLY ATTITUDE" (Rec. 1.30 a.m) LONDON. Jan.,29. The Berlin radio, commenting on Mr de Valera's protest against the arrival of American troops in Northern Ireland, said that Mr de Valera's manly attitude shows that neutrality and independence are notions maintainable by weak nations even against their stronger opponents. NATIONALIST'S VIEW AGGRESSION AGAINST NATION (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 28. Mr Patrick Maxwell, Nationalist member in the Northern Ireland Parliament, in an interview, said: " The landing of the Americans in Northern Ireland is the same as the landing of the Germans in Norway, and I wholeheartedly support Mr de Valera. The Americans who are here are just the same as the British here. There is nothing physically we can do to throw them cut, or we would. The landing constitutes aggression against the Irish nation."