TREATY STILL STANDS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 111, 13 May 1933, Page 9

TREATY STILL STANDS

FREE STATE AND BRITAIN STATEMENT IN THE LORDS OBLIGATIONS OF ALLEGIANCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) Received May 12, 7.8 p.m. LONDON, May 11. 1.-. the House of Lords, Lord Danesfor£, seeking an announcement as to tho exact effect*of the passage of the removal of the Oath Act in the Dail, said that this was important to the people of tho whole Empire. The passage of the Act did more than remove tho oath, it practically abrogated the treaty. If the Act were valid the Free State no longer existed as a Dominion. Then what had become of the const! tution? Loyalists and others in the Free State were deeply anxious about the position. Lord 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 behaving in such a way makes it difficult to retain patience," he added. “The time will come when we ought definitely say to the Free State what we think of her attitude.” Lord Parmoor appealed that nothing be done to increase the friction. The Dominion spirit should be encouraged and not discouraged. There was no question of abrogation of the treaty. Lord Hailsham, after reading Mr. Thomas’ statement in the House of Commons on May 4, added that the Dail Act had no effect on the treaty or rights of British citizens born in tho Free State, or Article 7 prov’ding for facilities in the Free 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 tho terms of the bargain,” said Lord Hailsham. “Any attempt by one party to alter the bargain has no legal international effect. Every citizen born in the Free State is born within the King’s allegiance. Nobody so born can get rid of the obligations the allegiance involves. If circumstances do arise whereby the Free State ceases to bo part of the Empire, serious questions will arise concerning the status of Free State citizens in Britain, but that is hypothetical. I have no hesitation in saying that tho two nations cannot be altered without the consent of both.” Lord 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 Danesfoot said that Lord Hailsham’s statement would allay great anxiety in the Free State and -would go far towards wise reflective opinion throughout the Empire.