EIRE & BRITAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 September 1938, Page 5

EIRE & BRITAIN

UNITY IN THE EVENT OF WAR ONLY REMAINING PROBLEM PARTITION. SPEECHES AT CONFERENCE IN SYDNEY. By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. SYDNEY, September 5. During a discussion on the status of Ireland in the Empire at today’s session of the British Commonwealth Relations Conference, it was stated frankly that, whatever the Eire Government may have said hitherto, she would be with Britain in the event of war. It was pointed out that Ireland was a great spiritual empire with its peoples in all parts of the world. Ireland was yearning to be on the side of the British Commonwealth. Speakers made it clear that Irish opinion was as strongly opposed to dictatorships as was British opinion. One delegate declared that Ireland was now a satisfied Power except for the question of partition, and delegates generally agreed that a solution of the partition problem was desirable in the interests of the British Commonwealth. The conference listened with keen interest to a discussion on Australian problems, including white Australia migration and the mandated territories. APPEALS TO REASON ATTEMPTS TO SET ASIDE PREJUDICE. MESSAGE FROM THE KING, SYDNEY, September 5. Mr James Dillon, deputy-leader of the Cosgrove Party in the Eire Parliament, who is attending tlje Commonwealth Relations Conference, in a broadcast address tonight said an endeavour was being made in Ireland today to forget appeals to passion and prejudice, and to substitute for them political argument, addressed to the people’s reason rather than their emotions. Ireland had happily settled her outstanding differences with Britain, but there remained the problem of a united Ireland which, if brought about, would be a great force for liberty and decency in the world. Mr Dillon added that there were.no class distinctions in Ireland, and the first charge on the national income was a minimum livelihood for every citizen. The machinery to give effect to this ideal was at present in the making. A message was read at the conference from the King acknowledging the conference’s message of loyalty and expressing his Majesty’s best wishes for success in dealing with the common problems affecting the Empire.