Eire’s Neutrality in War Criticised by ex-U.S.A. State Secretary

Grey River Argus, 12 November 1948, Page 6

Eire’s Neutrality in War Criticised by ex-U.S.A. State Secretary

LONDON, Nov. 9 In a book of memoirs of Mr Cordell Hull (who was American Secretary of State in war-time) published in London, he states that just before the invasion of Europe, the United States contemplated applying economicsanctions against Eire because Mr de Valera refused to expel the Axis diplomatic representatives from Dublin. He explains that the Americans dropped the idea of applying economic sanctions against Eire, largely at, the instance of Mr Churchill, who advised them "to let fear work its healthy process in Dublin,” and so prevent leakages of information about the forthcoming invasion of Europe. He says: "In 1942, when American troops landed in Northern Ireland, Mr de Valera immediately protested alleging that these troops intended to attack Eire. On this occasion,. President Roosevelt observed, ‘lf de Valera would only come out of the clouds and quit talking about a quarter of a million Irishmen ready to fight if they had weapons, we would all have a higher regard for him.’ In 1943, the United States tried in vain to persuade Mr de Valera to allow the Americans the use of Irish ports.” Mr Roosevelt wrote in a memorandum: “We are losing many American and British lives and many ships in carrying various supplies, to Ireland, without receiving anything in return, and without even so much as a ‘Thankyou.’ ” Mr Hull says that early in the war the United States at Mr de Valera’s request sent two food ships to Eire. Both were sunk by German submarines. Mr de Valera refused even to protest to Germany. Later, when Eire asked for further ships they were refused by the Americans. “I took the opportunity to point out.” | says Mr Hull, “the Ireland’s future security and safety depended inevitably upon Britain’s triumph, and that if the Irish Government thought, otherwise there could be no fruitful co-operation with the United States. 1 furthermore made it plain that tin-. United States would send Eire no surplus war material until that country was ready to show a more co-opera-tive attitude ”