Irish Stumbling-Block

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 130, 23 August 1927, Page 1

Irish Stumbling-Block

DE VALERA ON THE OATH

Determined To Abolish It

By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. Received 10.10 a.m. LONDON, Monday. “THE Fianna Fail’s first immediate objective is to remove I the oath of allegiance,” said Mr. de Valera, speaking at Dublin. “It is the barrier that is keeping Irishmen divided. If we get into power, the oath will go without delay, and with it the political tests by which employment in the public service is made a perquisite of party.”

Mr. De Valera said he had written opinions of four senior counsel, that the oath was not obligatory. It was only being retained for party purposes. Whatever Lord Birkenhead might desire, he (Mr. De Valera) did not believe that Englishmen wanted to keep Ireland in turmoil or in the shadow of civil war by striving to exact an allegiance no large body of Irish would render.—Sun. AN ELUSIVE VOTE MINISTRY MAY HAVE TO RESIGN Reed. 9.15 a.m. LONDON, Monday. The Dublin errespondent of “The Times” says that if the Gvernment loses either of the two by-elections, it will be in a minority of one in the Dali. President Cosgrave, having convened Parliament, will be forced to resign with or without the aid of Mr. Jinks’s elusive vote, in which event the projected Labour-National League Alliance may come into power be-

cause Mr. Thomas Johnson, Leader of the Opposition, is Strongly opposed to an electon, and, with a majority of one in the Dail, would attempt to carry on until the Budget had been delivered. —Times. A COAXING POLICY TO WIN SINN FEINERS Reed. 11.40 a.m. LONDON, Monday. The “Daily Mail’s” Dublin correspondent says that the Sinn Fein headquarters deny the report that they are making strong efforts to persuade the six Sinn Feiners who hitherto have not taken their seats to enter the Dail, thus enabling Mr. De Valera to confront President Cosgrave with a decisive majority. It is expected that Mr. De Valera will make a further effort to oust the Government by the introduction of a Bill for the relief of unemployment, which Mr. Cosgrave will not accept. It depends on the by-elections whether Mr. De Valera will be able to test his plan next week, or be forced to wait until October. —A. and N.Z.