Evening star., 1942-01-19
BY JOHN FERRIS,
Wide World News.

United States and Britain used these
bases:
Spike Island, Cobb (Queenstown),
County Cork, ideally located for
warfare against the U-boats. MANY
tons Of allied shipping were sunk
of this part Of the south Irish coast.
The Lusitania was one of the
vessels.)
Berehaven, Bantry Bay, County
Cork, on the southeast coast.
Fort Duncree, Lough Swilly,
County Donegal, on the extreme
northwestern coast of Ireland.
These bases were retained by Brit
ain until 1888, when the government
Of the late Neville Chamberlain
handed them over to Fire. The bases
had been neglected during Britain's
period Of disarmament, but since
1888 they have been modernized and
fortified. Fire has no navy, how
ever, and they have not been used
as naval bases.
Economic Coercion Held Unlikely.
Churchill. an eloquent critic of the
Chamberlain government, was op-
posed to the action. In his war re-
view to the House Of Commons last
April he declared:
I hope that eventually the in
habitants Of our sister island NAV
realize 1t Is as much In their inter-
est as IN ours that their ports and
airf1elds should be available for ma.
val and air forces, which must oper-
ate ever farther into the Atlantic"
Observers here and in London be-
neve the objective might be gained
through a change of heart and mind
OF the 10000, 900 persons of Irish
blood In the United States and
strongly doubt that any economic
coercion might be tried.
A year ago, after bombs had
dropped on Dublin, the Irish Soci-
cites of Washington appealed to
President Roosevelt, Congress and
the Secretary of State to use the
moral influence Of the United States
to discourage any attempt from ar1y
source" to force war on Fire. The
petition said 1t was understood that
Britain proposed to seize certain
bases by force if necessary.
Views May Have CHANGED.
A little more than two weeks
earlier, British sources had ex-
pressed the thought that Germany
might be trying to embroil Fire in
the war through bombing. Fire at
that time was described as deficient
IN anti-aircraft, artillery and am
munition, and it was pointed out
that Irish participation in the war
would give the r. A. F.. big, new
Job patrolling the nation and pro-
tecting the various landing fields.
At the same time the Friends
OF Irish Neutrality in the United
States. claiming to represent about
200 Irish organizations, telegraphed
the German Embassy in Washing
ton protesting against the unwar-
ranted invasion of Ireland's neu-
trail territory" by German airmen.
Observers here believe now that
the Japanese attack on Pearl Har-
Dor and United States entry into
the war. with its resultant unity Of
aims among Americans, might have
changed the sentiment of Amer
leans of Irish blood as it changed
the views of isolationists.
These Americans with strong
Irish sympathies, some believe,
might be enlisted to try to make
De Valera see the American point
of view, even at the expense of Irish
neutrality.
But De Valera might not easily
be persuaded, even by his numerous
American friends. He has a c@ld,
mathematical mind. He was a rev.
olutionary when ireland was sub
ject to British rule. He fought for
Irish freedom in the rebellion Of
1916 and was even sentenced to
death.
De Va1era's Statement Recalled.
He was and is fervid Repub-
lican, opposed the Free State, which
gave ireland dominion status and
continued to fight for Ireland's
complete independence. And, since
the start Of the war, he has been
as stanchly in favor Of Irish neu-
trality.
Nobody who realizes what modern
war means" he said a year ago,
"and what it means particularly for
those who have not sufficient air
defenses, would have the slightest
doubt but that that policy (of neu-
trality) was the right one. apart
altogether from any question Of
sympathy with one side or the
other.
I'VE tried to get arms; we sought
them in America. We sought them
in Britain, and we sought them on
the continent even, and 1t Is no
fault Of the governments If our
armaments are not several times
stronger than they are.
There can be no question Of the
handing over Of those ports 50 long
as this state remains neutral. Any
attempt to bring pressure to bear
on us by any Of the belligerents
could only lead to bloodshed."
There seems little likelihood that
Britain would try to seize the ports
and even less that the United States
would do it. It remains, therefore.
q job for diplomats.