Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 February 1941 — Page 7
FRIDAY, FEB. 7, 1941
HATE STIRS IRISH TO STAY NEUTRAL
They Won't Help England Because of Invasion and Blunders; Some Dubliners Doubt British Motives And Some Sympathize With Hitler.
This is the seemtid of a series of
articles on Eire’s role in. the war,
By HELEN KIRKPATRICK Copyright, 1941, by The Indianapolis Times and The Chicago Daily News, Inc.
LONDON, Feb. 7.—Why
is Eire neutral?
Why, when less than 30 miles away to the East, Grest Britain is fighting for her life, as the British believe, for the freedom and independence not only of herself but of all the small nations as well—Eire, included ? Why, when less than a two-hour train ride from the
capital of Eire, a part of this island is also at war? Why, especially, when the majority of Eire’s imports— tea, wheat, oil, gasoline, and fodder for its thousands of
live stock—are being brought to Eire in British ships, convoyed by
British destroyers and seaplanes? What answer
do they give in Dublin to President’ Roosevelt's question: “Would Irish freedom be permitted as.an amazing exception in a world not free?” I have asked that question of Dublin ers—of Premier Eamon Miss Kirkpatrick De Valera and : Government officials; of taximen, newspapermen, maids, housewives and businessmen. I have asked farmers down in County Clare and County Limerick, fishermen, and county squires. I have received a variety of answers.
Can’t Forget History
The vast majority believe that neutrality is the only policy Eire can adopt now, and while some doubt whether it can be maintained throughout the’ war, they generally express the fervent hope that it can be. This is the Government view, as expressed by De Valera on Sept. 2, 1939, when he announced Eire’s "neutral attitude towards the war: “The Irish nation has known what force, used by a strong nation against a weaker one, can mean. We have known the meaning of invasion and of partition. We are not forgetful of our own history and, so long as any portion of our country is- subject to force by a stronger nation, we mus k to our own country first.” . Today, they say, Ipeland, as an independent national entity, has the right to assert and maintain neu-
trality in war. They wish to main-|
tain it because they wish fo preserve democratic freedom, and they are not convinced that Britain is fighting for that. As one responsible person expressed it: “The Irish people have their own living experience and present perpetuation of partition to warn them against accepting at their face value British claims tq be fighting this war for the liberties of the weak.”
Don’t Accept British Claims
This is not a war of their making, one is told, and so long as there are British troops in Northern Ireland, they will not be convinced that Britain is fighting anything . but an imperialistic war. One member of the Government said: “The Irish people cannot wholly separate -itself from -its past, par- | ticularly - from the: past which (counting from the end of the six
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destroyed national economy) dates up to 1938. Consequently, the Irish people cannot give full mental acceptance to British claims that this war is being fought in defense of the liberty of peoples, or the rights of small nations,” That is: the Government view, their reason for neutrality. There are other reasons for mneutrality given by all kinds of people. Those people who believe that only British victory will guarantee the continued independence of Ireland, nevertheless agree that at this moment Eire has no other choice than neutrality. Their reason is an inadequate defense.
Dwell on the; Past It is very difficult to turn the
discussion from negative to positive
matters; from what the British should not do to what they should do; from what Eire will not do, to what it will do. Inevitably, discussion of present day affairs leads one back to the Cromwell troubles and the black and tans, I had been told that it was wrong to believe that the Irish constantly hark back to the past, but every conversation I had did dwell on the past sins of the British, Many Anglo-Irishmen and, to their credit let it be said, many intelligent Englishmen as well, have little good to say of British policy towards Ireland up to 1923. For stupid handling and blundering it is generally agreed to rank pretty high Yes,” you agree. “But that is over. The British have no desire to rule Ireland. They have not:interfered with you in recent years and, if they win the war, you will be free and independent. If the Germans win, will you be?” “Ah now, and who can say? Do you think the Germany would find us easier to manage than the British did? And it is by no means sure that the British will win. Where would we be with Germany winning, if we were to come into the war on the British side?”
Old Hatred Flares
And there you have two basic reasons why Eire is neutral: First, centuries of British + blundering which has inculcated an almost fierce hatred of fhe British; and second, uncertainty as to the outcome of the war. That is not to say that if tomorrow’s events made British, victory absolutely certain-Eire would necessarily abandon its neutrality, but it would probably change the picture decidedly. One gets the impression that a iarge number of Irish people, perhaps as many as 50 per cent, or higher, do, in their heart of hearts, believe that only through British victory will Irish independence be preserved. Se. There are those, however, who believe the contrary, who believe that Germany’s new order in Europe holds out the greatest hope for ‘the future. In. the January issue of the Catholic monthly, The Irish Rosary, James Devane explains the present conflict as the spiritual disintegration of Europe.
Nexit—If Britain wants Eire’s
ports, she must go after them.
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