Evening star., 1944-03-11
U. 5. Expected
To Ask Fire
To Reconsider
British May Bolster
Request for Ousting
Of Axis Diplomats
(Tert OF Notes on Page A-3.)
BY BLAIR BOLLES,

A further move to induce the
government of neutral Fire to
reconsider its refusal to dismiss
German and japanese diplomats
from its territory was expected
today from the United States,
perhaps with direct British CO.
operation, in order to keep in
vasion preparations secret from
Axis espionage agents.
THE lives of thousands of United
Nations soldiers are at stake" this
Government told Fire in a note de-
livered to Eamon de Valera, Irish
Prime Minister and External At
fairs Minister, on February 81. The
note asked the expulsion of German
and japanese agents.
The Irish refusal, made on
March 7, was announced by the
State Department officially last
night as the Fire Legation here
made public the note of rejection
signed by Mr.. de Valera, who said
that "the removal of representatives
Of foreign state on the demand
of the government to which they
are accredited is universally recog-
nized as the first step toward war"
Although the Allies control the
sea routes over which isolated Fire
receives much of its food and other
economic necessities, Mr.. de Valera
reported that "the Irish government
have received the assurance of the
American Government that the
American Government did not con-
template proceeding to military or
other measures because of the reply
which had been given"
Anxious Language Noted.
But the anxious language of the
American note, which was handed
to Mr.. de Valera by David Gray,
American Minister in Dublin, por-
tended q followup from Washing
ton. 1t pointed out that Fire is
situated in close proximity to Brit
ain" and "is divided only by an
Intangible boundary from Northern
Ireland, where are situated impor-
tant American bases, with contin-
uous traffic to and from both
countries" The American note said:
'It has become increasingly ap-
parent that despite the declared
desire that it's neutrality should not
operate in favor of either Of the
belligerents, it has in fact operated
and continues to operate in favor
of the Axis powers and against the
United Nations, on whom your Sc
curity and the maintenance of your
national economy depend.
Axis agents enjoy almost unre-
stricted opportunity for bringing
military information of vital i'm
portance from Great Britain and
Northern Ireland into Ireland and
from there transmitting it by vari-
Gus routes and methods to Germany
No opportunity corresponding to this
is open to the United Nations, for
the Axis has no military dispositions
which may be observed from Ireland.
De Valera Cites Policy.
"As you know from common re-
port. United Nations military op-
erations are in preparation in both
Britain and Northern Ireland. 1t is
vital that information from which
may be deduced their nature and
direction should not reach the
enemy"
Mr.. De Valera replied that since
Irish neutrality represents the
united will of the people and Par
lament" and is the logical sequence
Of Irish history and of the forced
partition Of national territory" he
could not make step which might
lead to war for his country.
: He added that I'VE have endeav-
ored TO prevent the leakage through
ireland of any information which
might in any way endanger British
lives or the safety of Great Britain" ="