The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-04-01
PEACE LEAGUE
PROPOSED BY
DE VALERA

tees OF security JOT al UuS pro-
posed today By EGmonn de Va
lera, president of the executive
council of the Irish Free State,
as a means of preventing Europe
from drifting into a neD tUGr.
His proposal D1S made in the
course of the following ercluStUe
interview with Charles A. Smith
of the London staff OF InternG-
tion1l NetOS Service.
BY CHARLES A. SMITH
Copyright. 1895. by International
News service)
DUBLIN, April / U.N.SO.
Fearful nothing he can say or
do would prevent the nations Of
Europe from marching to a new
war once they become determined
to do so, Eamonn de Valera,
president Of the Irish Free State
executive council, nevertheless, to-
day proposed a new scheme for
preserving European peace.
In an exclusive interview with
this correspondent, the American
born Irish statesman, whose
"peace speech" at Geneva last year
has become historic, proposed a
Pan-European Association Of Ma
lions, close-knit and mutual in its
conception, dedicated to the sole
task of maintaining peace. He
said:
'HOw anybody who went
through the horrors Of the
World War could seriously CON.
template the possibility Of
another is beyond my cOmpre'
henSiOn.
SHUDDERS AT WAR
'Tt is undoubtedly appalling
to think that the generation
which experienced the agOnies
of the World War and the de-
preSSiOnS which followed that
conflict are now letting things
drift into another war.
"There has been a truly re-
markable change in sentiment.
Only q few years ago people
spoke of another war as un-
thinkable. Today the next war
is accepted as possibility.
"The people Of Europe must
act Jointly If there is to be peace
and if there is to be continued
peace, there must be effective
guarantees Of security"
President de Valera was asked:
"Have you any solution to Of
fer. A solution which might
bring temporary or even endur.
ing peace?"
Start In Europe
Mr.. De Valera gazed steadily
at the peat fire burning in the
CRATE Of his oak-paneled private
room on the ground floor of the
Dali Eireann Building. He threw
a piece of turf on the flames as
he spoke:
"When you are appealing for
peace, you can plead only in
general terms, but it is my be-
lief that peace could be effected
If we could persuade nations
to form world league fed
Grafton for security for all.
II would begin with a Euro
pean league of nations, more
closely associated than the pres.
ent system. ! am not blind to
the difficulties Of forming such
. leauge and organizing it eff.
fectively to maintain peace.
CITES DIFFICULTIES
TN America, for example, the
1S original States, even after
cooperating to secure their in
dependence were very slow in
agreeing to a union that in
vOlved sacrificing some of their
sovereignty.
think how much more diff.
cult it would be to get a league
Of depende states in
Europe"
President De Valera'S deeply.
lined, wan face and tired eyes
behind his gold-rimmed spectacles
reflected the trying period he is
experiencing, with new Irish Re-
publican army troubles, a trans
port strike in Dublin and tangled
relations with Great Britain.
Trouble With Britain
It was the latter subject he
next discussed, obviously weighing
his words with great care. In
answer to a question whether hope
could be held out for eventual
reconciliation of the divergent
views between the two govern
ments, he said:
TT must be remembered there
are two fundamental political
problems in this matter.
zone is the partition Of our
country, and the other is recOg.
milton Of our country as q re-
public.
with regard to partition,
we cannot admit any part Of
our people have the right to
cut themselves off from the
rest. Division of our territory
originated in a scheme devised
by British politicians in the in
tereStS of Britain.
MESSAGE FOR U. S.
cit is clear that no Satisfac-
tory final arrangement between
Britain and Ireland can be
made as long as the partition
is maintained.
Concerning the republican
problem, our people struggled
for centuries for the right to