DUBLIN CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 June 1932, Page 6

DUBLIN CONFERENCE

QUESTIONS IN COMMONS

STATEMENT OF POSITION

(United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

(Received this day at 1.5 p.m.) (LONDON, June 6,

In the Commons, Mr Lansbury congratulated Mr Thomas and Mr de Valera on arriving at a commonsense arrangement.

Mr Cravenellis: I hope there will bo ho compromise (hear, hears). Mr Maxton: What agreement has been reached.

Mr Thomas : I never used the word agreement. I merely had an invitation through the Irish High Commissioner, that Mr de Valera desired a consultation. We reiterated frequently that we were not opposed to any discussion. De Valera intimated a desire for a discussion and wg felt no alternative but to accept.'

A spirit of compromise seems to have lactuated both sides in arranging the Irish discussions. While it' is true that de Valera declared if Britain wanted to discuss the Treaty she would have to come to Dublin, he actually took the •initiative and summoned Mr Dulanty to Dublin to a conference on Friday, whereafter Mr Dulanty saw Mr Thomas on Saturday and conveyed the invitation which the Cabinet’s Irish Sub-Commit-tee accepted on Sunday. A semi-official justification for the first talks being in Dublin, stressed the Fianna Fail’s dilemma in requiring the whole Irish Cabinet at hand for consultation,- because the scope of discussions was left wide enough. to include the Oath issue and its bearing on participation at Ottawa. There 1 is undisguised anxiety in Dublin at the result of sacrificing British preferences. Indeed the falling trade, and rising unemployment is already a deflect of the jcrisis. ; :

HOPES OF CONFERENCE

LONDON, June 7

. It remains to be, seen how far the divergent views may bje reconciled, but hope is drawn from, the fact that de Valera himself undertook to come to London on Friday, to give' the British delegates an opportunity of conferring with their full Cabinet. .Obviously Solid pressure lias been exerted in Dublin, not the least being the Senators’ threat to amend the. Oath Bill on Thursday, by making it ineffective till Britain consents to the removal of the oath.