Evening star., 1932-10-23
British-Irish Impasse
Is Now at Acute Point
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, October 22-The break
down of negotiations between England
and Ireland is complete and the tarin
war goes on.
Eamon de Valera's visit TO London,
as expected. resulted in nothing except
aggravation of the feeling on both
sides. and it is agreed that his introduc-
ton Of claims going back generations
and totaling f400 900 900. makes the
continuation of serious discussions i'm
possible
De Valera's action In the Dali in de-
nouncing England as Shylock is taken
as evidence that he does not want fur
ther negotiations. Even so ardent a
friend of Ireland as the Manchester
Guardian gives the Free State Presi-
dent up in despair and ridicules the
idea that Ireland's destiny will be best
fulfilled by starving on Shylock's door,
step"
The development of events now rests
with Ireland. De Valera. in pursuit OF
his determination to show that Ireland
can be made a self-contained COM
munity, entirely independent of her
only overseas market, has initiated a
policy of extreme protection. under
which industry and farming alike are
being rapidly bankrupted. Every one
looks forward to a penniless Winter,
with increasing debts and unemploy-
ment, and the financial consequences
Of De Valera's projects are creating the
profoundest anxiety in banking and
commercial circles in Dublin.
Meanwhile, the cleavage in the Free
State between the De Valera and Co.'S
grave factions deepens and hardens.
In military sense, the republican
movement is now much the most
formidable power in the country and
De Valera's policy has practically made
II the master of the situation. He
could not retreat from his position If
he desired to do so and an armed
fection, like Limerick and Cork, is re-
garded as being quite on the cards.
~ X Il
The Irish Republican Army is esti-
mated to number 10000 fully equipped
men. The forces Of the government
and the police are perhaps equal to
this challenge. but both notoriously
contain elements Of disaffection while
the recently formed White" army, con-
stituted to preserve public order, is un-
armed.
This preponderance of armed power
on the side of the republicans does not
represent the political division CT the
country. De Valera's narrow ma jority
in the Dali is dependent on the LaDor
party. and that majority is endangere1
by the fact that four bye-election5 az
imminent If the results are unfavora-
BILE, De Valeras control of the Dali will
cease and he will be compelled to dis
any event, an appeal to the electorate
cannot be long delayed,
The issue of an election inevitably
will be whether Ireland is to become
a republic. De Valera is definitely
committed to that policy and has re-
peatedly stated that the only reason
for not giving effect to 1t is the alb
sence OF mandate In the present Par
lament.
Responsible British opinion tends to
regard the issue with entire detach-
ment. Organs Of opinion so far apart
as the London Spectator and the New
Statesman, dealing with the Irish ques-
tion in their current issues, agree that
If Southern Ireland wishes to break
away from the British commonwealth
1t Is her affair and not to Britain's
interest to try to compel her to remain.
Indeed, the New Statesman goes to the
length Of suggesting that the British
government should make a declaration
that If the Free State government Sc
cures an unmistakable mandate for
severance Of its connection with the
British commonwealth, this country
would create no obstacle to 1t.
Copyright. 1880