AIM OF DE VALERA ON HIS TOUR

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 May 1948, Page 4

AIM OF DE VALERA ON HIS TOUR

MORAL SUPPORT FOR A UNITED IRELAND (P.A.) Wellington, May 25. The aim of his present overseas tour was to get moral support, not money, for bringing about a united Ireland. No Government had given him any assistance in his aims, said Mr Eamon de Valera, formerly Prime Minister for Eire, in a Press conference today. S

Mr. de Valera was accompanied by Mr. F. D. Aiken, former Finance Minister of Eire, who was Mr. de Valera’s chief of staff in the Irish Civil War. The party arrived by air from Auckland at noon. In the afternoon Mr. de Valera had a two-hour conference with the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser. At his Press conference Mr de Valera said that, while abroad, he naturally met people from Ireland and people interested in Ireland who wanted to know conditions there. He explained to them that the only question remaining to be settled was that of the present partition of the country.

Asked for the reason of his tour, apart from the visit to Melbourne, Mr de Valera said the people of Eire were naturally anxious to get all the support they could from their friends to get the partition adjusted. He had been to U.S.A, before going to Australia.

To the question: “What will be the next step to the implementation of an ali-Ireland Policy” Mr. de Valera replied: “You have two islands here. Would you like to have part of one cut off?”

Eire did not grant defence bases in Southern Ireland during the war because she was not able to defend herself, he proceeded. Furthermore, when Ireland received her full independence it would be time for her to join the crusade for other countries. In answer to the query: “Would the threat of Communism to the world as a whole bring Eire close to the British Commonwealth as a whole?” Mr. de Valera said partition would still be a disturbing factor. He said he had no hope for United Nations ever since its early days. Members were not moved by a common desire to make the organisation work. They" were without the will to co-operate. Reminded that he had visited the United States years ago and raised millions of dollars for the Irish cause, Mr de Valera said he was now abroad in search of moral support, not of money. He had encountered in some places self-determination leagues and other organisations for uniting Ireland, and arrangements had been made for them to get details of conditions in Ireland.

Mr. de Valera is being given a reception by the Irish community tonight and a Government reception tomorrow.

Irishmen from all parts of New Zealand crowded the Town Hall tonight in a community welcome to Mr. de Valera. Other participants in tha welcome included the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser), Archbishop T. O’Shea, Coadjutor Archbishop P. McKeefry. Dr. P. P. Lynch presided.