SINN FEIN’S AIMS

Taranaki Daily News, 21 June 1921, Page 5

SINN FEIN’S AIMS

POLICY OUTLINED. % REPUBLIC DEMANDED. DOMINION STATUS OPPOSED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright London, June 19. Mr. O’Sullivan, an Australian journalist, secured an interview with De Valera at the laser’s hiding place. He says it was an adventurous business, the obstruction thereto convincing the interviewer that the British Government was not conniving at the freedom of De Valera’s movements. Discussing Mr. Lloyd George’s Port Madoc speech De Valera said his admission that two-thirds of the Irish people desired an independent Republic ought to end finally the pretence that the Republic was demanded by only a handful of violent extremists. What other course was open in view of the thrice-repeated decisive demonstrations of the national plebiscite, in which threefourths of the people had proved their adherence to the Republic? If Mr. Lloyd George would face the facts regarding the right of the Irish to independence, as he had faced them regarding the strength of Irish opinion for a Republic an understanding between the British and the Irish would be much easier to reach. INDEPENDENCE CLAIMS. Asked as to his views regarding the suggestion of the Dominion status, De Valera said that no such status had ever been offered and, until it was possible to transplant Ireland to the antipodes or to another hemisphere, no such status was feasible. In order to sectire In practice such freedom as Australia. New Zealand and Canada enjoyed Ireland, owing to her proximity to Britain, must be guaranteed as a sovereign independent State. Those who thought Ireland was entitled to the reality of the Dominion status ought to perceive that if that was so they were entitled to a Republic. The fact was that while the adherents of the Empire in the Dominions enjoyed something more than independence, they, in claiming a Republic, sought simply independence and nothing more. Asked if Britain Hud not good grounds for thinking an independent Ireland would be a danger to her De Valera said this fear was based on the assumption that an independent Ireland was likely to be hostile, whereas commonsense and everything else pointed to the reverse. Ireland had been at enmity with England because England was actively injuring Ireland. As long as the aggression continued the enmity would continue. The cementing forces of community of interest had never been permitted to operate because of the violent agitation caused by English aggression and its, reaction, namely Irish resentment. “Remove this agitation and you produce a condition which had been impossible through all the centuries past.’ THE SOLUTION. Asked what solution he proposed he said: “A neutral Irish State, whose inviolability is guaranteed by say the United States and the States of the British Empire and any other that could be secured as signatories. We claim complete control over our destinies, but what we claim for ourselves we desire for others also. A free Ireland would never allow its territory and harbors to be made the basis of an attack upon England by an outside Power. A native Irish defence force would be manv times more effective in keeping out an invader than any force England could put here, whilst in case of danger England’s own forces would be still available. Any pledge Ireland gives will be kept. With an independent Ireland beside her Britain will be more, not less safe than now from foreign attack. The pride of possession obscures not merely England’s sense of justice, but her commonsense.”