SINN FEIN POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 August 1921, Page 5

SINN FEIN POLICY.

CLAIM FOE SEPARATION. t SPEECH BY DE VALERA. REPUBLIC DEMANDED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, August 16. Despite a downpour of rain an enormous crowd waited outside the Dublin Mansion House for the opening of the Dail Eireann. Traffic was suspended and large contingents of the Irish Republican Army held the streets for a radius of a hundreu yards. The Dail Eireann assembled in the Round Room of Mansion House, where Parnell made some of his great orations for Irish freedom. Parnell’s portrait hung above the Speaker’s chair. There were nearly 2000 present in the galleries, including prominent lawyers, clergy, medical men, and business men. When the clerk called the names of Sir James Craig, other members of the Ulster Parliament, and Mr. Devlin, to which of course there was no response, derisive laughter on the part of the audience was suppressed by the Speaker. Mr. Michael Collins, who was the first to sign the roll, received an ovation. Five ladies took the oath, and one Englishman, Mr. Erskine Childers. As the members of the Dail Eireann entered the Chamber an oath pledging allegiance to the free Irish State was administered. Mr. John McNeill was elected Speaker. De Valera, in a lengthy speech, reiterated Ireland’s claim to separation from Britain. He said the only Government which the people recognised was the Dail Eireann Ministry. He would report. on the negotiations with the Government and the proposed reply would be discussed in private session. He understood it was the intention of the British Government to make that reply an issue between peace and war, hence the first discussion would be held privately and, when the reply was ready for dispatch, there would be another public session. De Valera said he did not say the people had given a plebiscite for the form of Republican Government so much as for Irish freedom and independence. Hence the Irish Republic was such as was sanctioned by the will of the people and their representatives solemnly declared the nation's independence, for which they would give their lives if necessary to make the people s will effective. Only on the basis of the recognition of the Republic could they deal with any foreign Power. They stood by that principle and meant to die for it, if necessary. The British proposals were not just and, because of that, he had sent his reply. At the conclusion of De Valera’s speech the Dail Eireann adjourned till fco-morrow.

MORE POINTS OF THE SPEECH. TALK OF IRELAND’S RIGHTS. POSITION OF SMALL NATIONS. Received August 17, 9.40 p.m. London, August 16. De Valera, in the course of his speech at the opening of the Dail Eireann, said that if Britain had recognised the principles which Mr. Lloyd George laid down during the war relating to the rights of small nations there would have been no need for negotiations. It was practically impossible for Irishmen to negotiate* with the British Government. “There cannot be negotiation with a man or Government when the position is that an unarmed men is facing a man with a pistol at his head,” proceeded De Valera. “When there is no principle to fall back upon for the regulation and adjustment of differences there is nothing left but force and in the end, if the British Government does not state definitely some principles on which it stands, •Irishmen will find that at every step they are confronted by force. Negotiation for Britain only means opportunity for saving faces; we will not negotiate to save faces, but to save bloodshed, if possible. We can only negotiate on right, on principle and on a basis of “It is not just that a small nation beside a big one should have to give guarantees for the big one’s safety instead of the big one guaranteeing the little one’s safety, because a big nation alongside a little nation thinks it is necessary for its own advantage, safety and security to annex the little one. That does not make such an annexation principle just. If it did there would soon be no small nations in Europe. There is no juatice or right in that.” The Dail Eireann oath is as follows: “I solemnly swear (or affirm) that I do not and shall not yield voluntary support to any pretended Government authority or power within Ireland inimical thereto: further, that to the best of my knowledge and ability I will support and defend the Irish republic and the Irish republic’s Government, which is the Dail Eireann. against all enemies, foreign or domestic, and that I bear true allegiance thereto. I take this obligation freely, ■without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.