VISIT TO DUBLIN

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1932, Page 5

VISIT TO DUBLIN

DE VALERA’S INVITATION

ACCEPTANCE BY BRITAIN PRELIMINARIES TO OTTAWA DESIRE FOR AN AGREEMENT ANXIETY IN FREE STATE By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, June 6. Mr. J. H. Thomas, Dominions Secretary, announced in the House of Commons that in response to Mr. De Valera’s invitation he and Lord Hailsham, Secretary for War, would go to Dublin that night for a preliminary discussion of the difficulty of the Ottawa negotiations. Mr. De Valera had agreed to resume the discussions in London on Friday. Replying to questions Mr. Thomas said that the Government had received an intimation from Mr. De Valera that he desired a consultation on the difficulties arising out of the statement repeatedly made in the House of Commons that further negotiations, either in London or at Ottawa, were impossible while the Free State adopted its present attitude.

The Government had frequently stated that it was not opposed to any discussion, and as Mr. De Valera had intimated a desire for such discussion the Government felt, rightly in his judgment, that it had no alternative but to accept. He added that this implied no departure by the Government from its declared policy. Lord Hailsham, who accompanied Mr. Thomas to Dublin, is an ex-Lord Chancellor and Minister of War. His name was Sir Douglas Hogg before he took his title. LABOUR QUESTIONING. Mr. George Lansbury, Labour leader, congratulated Mr. Thomas and Mr. De Valera on arriving at a commonsense arrangement. Mr. W. Craven-Ellis: “I hope there is no compromise.” (Hear, hears.) Mr. J. Maxton: “What agreement has been reached?”

Mr. Thomas: ‘T never used the world agreement. I have merely had an invitation through the Irish High Commissioner. Mr. De Valera desired a consultation, and we have reiterated frequently that we were not opposed to any discussion. Mr. De Valera intimated his desire for a discussion, and we felt there was no alternative but to accept.” A spirit of compromise seems to have actuated both sides in arranging the discussions. While it is true that Mr. De Valera declared that if Britain wanted to discuss the treaty it would have io go to Dublin, he actually took the initiative and summoned Mr. Dulanty, the High Commissioner, to a Dublin conference on Friday, whereafter Mr. Dulanty saw Mr. Thomas on Saturday and conveyed the invitation which the Cabinet’s Irish sub-committee accepted on Sunday. Semi-official justification for the first talks being in Dublin stresses the Fianna Fail’s dilemma in requiring the whole Irish Cabinet to be at hand for consultation, because the scope of the discussions have been left wide enough to include the oath issue and its bearing on participation at Ottawa. There is undisguised anxiety ’ t Dublin about the results of sacrificing British preferences; indeed the falling trade and rising, unemployment already reflect the crisis.

It remains to be seen how far divergent views may be reconciled, but hope is drawn from the fact that Mr. De Valera himself undertook to come to London on Friday to give the British delegates an opportunity of conferring with the full Irish Cabinet. Obviously solid pressure has been exerted in Dublin, not the least the senators’ threat to amend the Oath Bill on Thursday by making it ineffective till Britain consents to the removal of the oath. The Sun says that Mr. Thomas’ announcement is the sequel to hurried soundings regarding the prospects of settling the Irish difficulty before the Ottawa conference. The Government realises that it will be an impossible situation, endangering the success of the conference, if the Irish delegates attended but were unable to negotiate with Britain. The visit of Mr. Thomas and Lord Hailsham was arranged at the shortest notice.

CONSCIOUS OF RESPONSIBILITY.

MR. THOMAS FULL OF HOPE.

Rec. 7 p.m. London, June 7. Mr. Thomas, before leaving Euston en route for Ireland, said: “I am going to Ireland full of hope. lam clearly conscious of my responsibilities.” Mr. Cosgrave in an interview said it appeared that Mr. De Valera had adopted the policy of the Opposition. We all along recommended negotiation,’ he added. The Daily Telegraph says the British Government is anxious that the Free State should remain within the British Commonwealth and is prepared to embark on the negotiations in a. friendly spirit. Mr. Thomas and Lord Hailsham have arrived and the conference will begin this morning, says a Dublin message. General satisfaction is expressed at the visit as it is many years since a British Cabinet Minister officially has come to Dublin. The mountain has come to Mahomet, and Mahomet will later go to the mountain” aptly expresses the Free State viewpoint.