Evening star., 1932-04-01
DE VALERA HOLDS
OATH PEACE BAR
Removal Declared Best Guar
antee for Civil Accord
in Ireland.
By the Associated Press.

BY the ASSoclatcd Press.
DUBLIN, April the best guaran-
tee Of civil peace in Ireland. President
Eamon de Valera told the Associated
Press today, is the intention of the
present Free State government to abol-
ish the cath Of allegiance to the Brit
ish crown.
'Irishmen don't adopt violent methods
to attain their rights any more than
any other people" he said. unless they
believe that those rights cannot be at
talned by any other means.
The present government proposes to
remove the oath of allegiance from the
constitution because in the past 10 years
it has prevented the adoption of peace
ful political methods by considerable
section Of the people. We believe this
action will lead to internal peace"
Easter Demonstration Orderly.
The tall, slim leader OF the Fianna
Fail took pains to point out that there
was no disorder during the Easter DEM
onstration by various Irish Republican
groups whose activities were under the
ban Of the Cosgrave government.
The fact that there was no breach
OF the peace certainly is evidence Of the
good sense of the people" he said, and
1t indicates that in all sections the
people realize their responsibilities as
citizens"
The correspondent asked if he had
any definite guarantees that there
would be no physical strife in Ireland.
Our policy itself" the President re-
piled, lis the best guarantee against
strife"
After a prolonged and fruitless dis
cuSSlon last night the new cabinet de-
cided to discuss again today its reply
to the recent British note insisting that
the oath of allegiance to the King and
land annuities must be retained. t,l
Before it adjourned the cabinet en-.
phatically denied it had split over the.
issue or that there was serious dissen.e
sicn, although such rumorS we're cur
rent in anti-government quarters.
Secrecy Is Maintained.
1t was evident, however, that attempts
at full agreement on the note up to this
time has not been achieved, but. owing
to secrecy of officials, the grounds for
differences have not been learned.
The incident arose shortly after
Eamcn de Valera became President and
announced that the oath and annuities
as covered by the Anglo-Irish treaty of
1922 were not mandatory under that
agreement and would henceforth be
dispensed with, the annuities to be
retained by the government of the Irish
Free State.
Shortly thereafter a note was dis
patched to ireland asserting that Great
Britain would look with grave concern
at any such action by the De Valera
government. This week it was an
nounced that note would 90 forward
Immediately in reply restating the posi-
ton of the Free State government, but
up to now it has not materialized.
Tariff Plan Denied.
Sean LemaSs, minister of industry
and commerce, denied reports that the
Irish Free State was about to place
So 3 per cent tariff on all imports OF
articles which can be manufactured In
the Free State.
simultaneously it was learned that a
deficit of f639,234 (S2.4I6,305 at the
present rate of exchange) had been dis
closed in returns for the financial year
ending last night.
The Irish Free States national reye-
nue. was reported as s25,496,4l9, more
than FL 100000 over last years, but
expenditure was f26, lbs, ,653. It had been
generally expected that the deficit would
be larger. =.