THE IRISH REPUBLIC

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14586, 8 February 1921, Page 5

THE IRISH REPUBLIC

NOT A SOVEREIGN STATE. CATHOLIC CHURCH'S ATTITUDE. USE OP FORCE UNLAWFUL. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received February 8, 10.50 a.m. LONDON, February ; 7. Bishop Cotmlan, of Cork, in a Lenten pastoral letter, says: "According to the preaching of our churches Ireland ia. not a republic. The Pope has not accepted the Iri6h Republic, and the proclamation of Sinn Fein members of Parliament is not sufficient to constitute such. If a sovereign state she has the right to use physical force, and, if not, then physical force Is unlawful. However desirous of absolute Independence it cannot be/held that she is validly a sovereign state. Whenever' tried in the past, physical force • has failed to restore freedom. If the Par, tition Bill is not amended, and an election announced, the electors should in-' sist on the fullest freedom, and -cpnsider whether to take what they have,' got, and strive for better, or indefinitely submit to the Crown colony; oppression. -'" SELF-GOVERNMENT WANTED. ON DOMINION LINES. BY RESPONSIBLE SINN PEINER3 (United Service.) Received February 8, 2.10 p.m. LONDON, February 7. Sir J. Foster Fraser, acting as the Standard's special correspondent in' Ireland, writes:—"Responsible Sinn Feiners have abandoned the idea of an independent republic and want selfgovernment on Dominion lines within the Empire. This has caused a split in the Irish Republican Army. The gunmen, who are whole-hoggers for De Valera, are losing ground. De Valera, who is deficient in moral courage, is against the republic, but is afraid to speak oui."