The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-09-28

CdII COIIILsCLs
 Fire is committed to @ policy of strict neutrality which the German government has acknowledged and agreed to respect. Responsible off, cials insist that the country will abandon the neutral position only if forced to do so, but the fact that defense measure are proceeding in so thorough a fashion indicates that there is some apprehension.
 Britain will feel Ireland's absence from the Empire lineup against Germany in various ways, although Fires neutral position can hardly be expected to affect the conflict in a major way.
 Britain will not be able to main tain naval bases in Fire. During the last war the British had an anti submarine base at Bantry, while the U. s. Navy was based at Queens town (now Cobh). The areas served by these bases two decades ago will have to be patrolled now by fets based farther away, with attending disadvantages. Britain, of course, still will be able to operate the fleet from Larne, in North Ireland.
 Manpower Not Available
 Britain likewise will not be able to call on Irish manpower at will. However, numerous Irish were serv- ing in Rritain's regular forces when the war broke out and numerous Irish were in the British reserve forces and responded to summons. Britain also may require the serv- ices of Irish living in Britain.
 Ireland'S neutral status will not affect the supplying of foodstuffs to Britain. Thus Irish resources will serve Britain as well as though 1t were participant in the war.
 What little trade Ireland had with Germany probably will disappear. Irish exports to Germany were mostly horses, livestock and meat. There is no legal reason why Ger man merchant vessels could not call at Irish ports for cargoes, but any attempt to do so would invite almost certain capture by British warships. Therefore it is natural to expect that Irish products which formerly went to Germany henceforth will be diverted to Britain to assist the lat ter in prosecuting the war.
 Trade with Germany was never large. For the first six months of 1899 total Fire exports amounted to approximately $2,000,000.
 De Valera Defines Status
 Fires neutral status was defined by Ramon de Valera before the Fire parliament which met in an emer- gency session on the eve of Britain's declaration of war. He said he was aware there were strong sympathies in Fire regarding the war, but he did not think that anyone, no mat ter what his feelings might be, would feel that the policy should be anything than what the government has decided.
 we of all nations" he said, "know what force used by stronger nation against weaker one means, and we have known what invasion and partition mean. We are not forgetful of our own history. So long as the country or any part of 1t is subject to force by a stronger nation, it will only be natural that the people, no matter what sympa- thies they may have, should look to their own country first, and in looking to their own country should see what the interests of their own country are"
 De Valera disclosed that the Ger man minister had informed him that Germany would respect Fires neutrality provided 1t was adhered to.
 A curious diplomatic situation arose in Fires relations with Ger many. After the former minister to Germany resigned in July, and prior to the outbreak of war, T. J. Kiernan was designated for the of flee. He will not be able to take 1t, however, because under the Ar- glo-Irish treaty of 1922 the king ac- credits Irish diplomats to foreign countries and this is now impossible in the case of Germany. Fire is represented in Berlin by charge d'affaires.