HONOUR AT STAKE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 196, 12 April 1932, Page 5

HONOUR AT STAKE

(Press Assn.-

DE YALERA CLAIMS RIGHT OF SOVEREIGN iNDEPENpENCE EROM BRITAIN l *■ ■ . '? » "CANNOT FEEL ALLEGHANCE"

-By Te^grapli— Copyright.)

LONDON, Sundriy. Mr de Valera, who is visiting Erinis County Clare," "was escor'ted by a guard of horidur consistirig of 20 members of the Irish Republican Army.'*He took a salute from 1000 supporters'bf the Fianna Fail, headed by bands, marching past a platform. Addressixlg 6000 people he denied that the abolition of the oath was a gratuitous attempt to pick a quarrel with Erigland. "We are eager for real friendsbip with the British people," he said, "but there must be complete equality. Our national honour is at' stake in this connection. ' "The Irish nation for 10 years has heen dishonoured by a profeSSion of allegiance Irishmen do not and cannot feel. Ireland is not a British colony, but one of the oldest riations 'in the world, possesSing all the rights of nationhood. '

"Unlike the Dominions, we cannot adrait, and have never freely admitted that our right of sovereign independence is derived from a British' sta'tute. It is older than any British sta'tute— older than Parliament, older even than the British nation. : "A frank and final acknowledgement of this is the one basis on which a reai and permanent agreement can be secured. • The British statssmen have a great opportunity. They only need^ courage to be just and abandon the insane ambit'ion to doniinate the Irish people which has been the course of Britain and Ireland for 750 years. "As far as we are concerned, there ; will be no ' going back.'* ; Mr. de Yalera added that the British Parliament had renounced the claim to the land arinuities in ' 1920. Any surrendel' to threats now would be disastrous to the Irish people.