Evening star., 1940-12-28
u. 5. Shuns Initiative
In Obtaining Irish
Bases for Britain
Power to Persuade Dublin
Is Seen in Hands of
American Hiberniuns
BY EDGAR ANsEL MowRER.

American Hiberniuns
BY EDGAR ANSEL MOWRER.
If the Irish wish to barter their
bases with the British for some
of the war material that the United
States is giving Great Britain. that
is Ireland's lookout and not ours,
and the administration sees no
slight objection. But the State
Department does not consider that
1t is the business of this Govern
ment to try to induce Dublin to
lease bases to Britain.
Admittedly, the American Irish
probably have the power to per-
suade the Dublin government that
its policy is, to say the least,
fraught with tremendous danger.
None-absolutely none-among in
formed people in Washington be-
lieve for a moment that a VIC
torious Germany would respect Ire
lands independence. The most the
Irish might look forward to would
be sort of "Slovak" existence,
with autonomy in small matters
coupled with complete dependence
in important ones.
Ireland's only chance of real in
dependence would seem to lie,
either with draw between Germany
and Britain or with a British vic
tory. Today the lack of possession
OF West and South Irish bases is
one of the greatest weaknesses in
the British set-up and is costing
Britain literally hundreds of thou
sands of tons of shipping a week.
1relands S neutrality may alternate
ly mean Britain's defeat.
New Technique Developed.
The reason is simple: The Ger
mans have developed a new and
very effective technique. In the
World War German submarines
usually operated alone. Today that
has been changed. Groups of subs,
maybe 10 or IL, proceed to points
west OF the Irish coast just far
enough into the Atlantic to be out of
reach of British fighter planes oper-
atlng from Britain or North Ireland.
There they lie in wait for conveys.
German scouting and light bombing
planes, operating shuttlewise be-
tween Brittany and Norway on a
great arc clear around the British
Isles, spot the conveys and signal
their whereabouts to the waiting
submarines, which at dusk or dawn
attack the more or less helpless con-
voys. The British fighters, which
could make hash of the German
scouts, simply cannot reach them.
Which accounts for British interest
in new American types of long-range
fighter and bomber planes. If the
British could operate from bases
several hundred miles further to the
south and west of those they now
use, they could save a great many
ships.
But Ireland says no. Premier
Eamon de Valera insists that Irish
bases, utilized by British airplanes
and warships. would certainly be
bombed by the Germans. He knows
that today Ireland is protected from
the Germans only by the British
feet. But he feels that the Ger
mans have no interest in trying to
occupy Ireland so long as lack Of
possession Of the Irish bases-and in
a race to Ireland the British would
almost certainly beat the Germans
to the goal-handicaps Britain.
Premier De Valera probably also
realizes that without the presence
Of the American Irish and the in
f1uence of Anglophobes in American
politics the British would long since
have occupied the Irish bases
whether the Irish consented or not
He knows-he must know-that the
Nazis are secretly laughing at Brit
ish failure to seize what they need
in Ireland. as typical example of
democratic decadence." But-with
the headquarters Of the Irish Re-
publican Army reputedly located in
this country-he clings to the (for
Ireland) orthodox views about the
detestability of the British.
Trade for Ulster Barred.
On one occasion he appeared to
hesitate. There Is reason to believe
that he was ready to trade the
use Of the bases for the possession
of Ulster. The Ulster strong man,
Lord Craigavon, and his British
friends prevented the deal. Lord
Craigavon's death perhaps cleared
one obstacle from the path. But
listers hostility to becoming just
Irish remains, along with the hos
tility Of the American Irish, one
cause Of Great Britains conceivable
loss of this war.
Now, however. De Valera has
asked this country for arms-and
will be referred to London for an
answer. If he cares to trade the
use of the bases for arms ear
marked for Britain he can prob
ably acquire some. What somebody
in this country, conceivably the
President himself, might do, it is
thought, is to attempt to persuade
some Of the less frantic Anglopb o1es
among the American Irish to with
draw their opposition to any agree
ment between De Valera and the
British. With what success, is an
other matter
Copyright, 1910. Chicago Daily News, Inc)