THE AGREEMENT

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20492, 7 May 1938, Page 7

THE AGREEMENT

BRITAIN AND EIRE i GREAT NATIONAL SUPPORT MINISTER DEFENDS GOVERNMENT (Official Wireless (Received May 7, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, May 6 Late last night the Bill confirming the Anglo-Elre agreements passed Its second reading In the House of Commons unopposed. Almost simultaneously in Dublin legislation ratifying the agreement was pessed In the Dali without division. Replying to the debate in the House of Commons the Secretary for Dominions, Mr Malcolm MacDonald, said it had been shown that there was an unusual measure of national support for these agreements, both in the : United Kingdom and Eire. Referring to the criticism of the generosity of the financial settlement, jMr MacDonald pointed out the subj stantial expenditure in which the Gov-

ernment of Eire might be involved by the handing back of strategic ports. It was true fTTat if the Eire Government chose to neglect those defences there was no obligation on it to add a single penny to the Budget, but Mr de Valera had stated that he and his colleagues fully appreciated the strategic importance of the ports and his Government was not only going to maintain the defences but would re-equip and modernise them where necessary. In an oblique reference to Mr Winston Churchill's allusions to Irish good faith, Mr MacDonald said that during the period of the coal and cattle agreements the British Government had had to rely regarding many points on the promises of the Eire Government, and it was its experience that wherever tlie Eire Government had given such promises it had carried them out, in the spirit and the letter. I One of the most wonderful qualities of the 'British Commonwealth, said Mr MacDonald, was its capacity for reconraces.. Canada and South Africa were illustrations.

It was the faith of the Government that by the exercise of the same policy and the encouragement of understanding another great miracle of mutual respect and trust would be brought about between the Irish and British peoples. THE SECOND READING PASSED CRITICISM OF THE GOVERNMENT DISCUSSION IN THE COMMONS United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright (Received May 7, 11 a.m.) LONDON, May 6 The debate on the Britain-Eire agreement was continued in the House of Commons. Mr D. R. Grenfell Labour—Glamorgan (wilted the Prime Minister for sponsoring a policy which Mr Grenfell described as a reversal of that which the party Mr Chamberlain led had always pursued toward Ireland. The agreement, he added, was welcome to the country and was regarded by many British people as making some restitution for the errors of the policy in tiie past. During the speech of a member for Northern Ireland, which followed, Mr Chamberlain intervened to deny that there was any unpublished understanding on partition, and recalled that Mr de Valera also had told the Dail there was no secret understanding on any matter. Mr Graham White (Liberal —Birkenhead expressed the approval of the Liberals of the agreement, which, he said, would provide a basis on which the friendship between Britain and Eire could be gradually rebuilt. Mr Churchill’s Criticism Mr Winston Churchill (Conservative—Essex; said he could not reconcile it. with his duty as one of the signatories of the 1921 Treaty to keep Mr Churchill’s speech rapidly developed into a vigorous attack on the agreements, the effects of which he described in his closing sentence as ‘‘lnviting demands from every quarter,” and ‘‘casting away really important means of security and survival for vain shadows and for ease.” Mr Churchill criticised the financial concession, and cited Mr de Valera's declaration that the agreement would further the cause of united Ireland to con found the claim of Ihe Prime Minister that the age-lung controversy was closed. But his bitterest criticism was reserved for the abrogation of the defence provisions of the 1921 Treaty, (Continued m next column)

to which point most of his speech was devoted. He conceded the value of Irish goodwill, but said that the Irish rebellion in the most critical stage of the Great War, at the beginning of which Irish goodwill had also been manifested, was a reason l'or not placing too much reliance upon it. A Warning Mr Churchill expressed dismay at unconditional handing over of the ports—the value of which was primarily for the defence of Britain, and only secondarily for the defence of Ireland—to a Government led by a man in power—to which lie had risen as a result of his animosity against Britain—in violation of solemn treaty obligations. He argued that the Government of Eire might determine to be neutral in a future war. or make an ending of partition tlie price of its support of Britain. The policy of the agreements to which the Government, without warning had committed the Conservative Party, was incomprehensible, he said. Mr L. s. Amery Conservative— Birmingham said he believed the Government was right in acting as a great nation with the maximum of forebearancc and generosity toward a small one, which they regarded as a partner in the British Commonwealth, ile believed the act of faith w;oul*i be Justified.