Evening star., 1949-09-25

definite suspension OF tne QOcK-
yard dismissals. When he found
he was getting nowhere with this
proposal he asked for reopening
of the question Of the two-month
suspension, but then refused even
to go to the Colonial Office to
discuss the matter. The Colonial
Office statement brought him out
of his anger, however, and he
accepted Mr.. Creech Jones in
vitation to resume the negotia-
tions.
Out of the talks that followed
came DR.. Boffa's first real con-
cesSion from the British govern
ment-an agreement in principle
that Britain would suspend some
of the dismissals for two months.
The decision lay. however. with
the Malta cabinet, and DR.. Boffa
left England promptly to submit
to his government the best he
could get out of the British.
There was another reason. per-
haps, as he himself indicates, for
his acceptance of a partial solu-
'tion which would permit him to
return to the island. Mr.. Mintoff,
the former Deputy Prime Minister.
it seems, on returning to Malta
from London, undertook a CAM
paign to oust the Prime Minister
from the Malta Labor Party. He
has said he is going to smash me-"
DR.. Boffa said. land feel I
should take up the challenge"
The Prime Minister. landing
back in Malta several days later.
was greeted by cheering crowds
and fireworks. He drove straight
to Valetta. called a cabinet meet
ing-which heard a narration Of
what had happened in London
and received an immediate unani-
nous vote of confidence of the
cabinet.
Whole Story Told
Then the. political battle began.
Mr.. Mintof had demanded a vote
of confidence on the Prime Min
lister in the Executive Council Of
the Labor Party. Although DR..
Boffa might win this vote he had
later in the week to face a mass
meeting of the party, where the
issue would be raised with more
uncertain results.
About this time the dockyard
announced that compulsory dis
charges would cease after Sep
tember 16. owing to savings in
discontinued overtime and in
other directions. The Admiralty
gave further, more formal assur-
ances that the dismissals would
be reduced, thus strengthening
DR.. Boffa's hand in his fight to
retain the premiership against the
attack by the Mintoff faction.
The lid blew off the whole dis
pute when Parliament met late
the same week. Mr.. Mintoff, out
as Minister of Works and Deputy
Prime Minister, was still powerful
in the Labor Party. Here the
whole story of the early August
"ultimatum" was told.
DR.. Boffa, defending his con-
duct of the London negotiations
against the Mintof faction, said
that the "ultimatum" as first
drawn up by Mr.. Mintoff, who was
then conducting the negotiations.
threatened that If Malta did not
receive proper consideration she
would take her case direct to the
United States cor any other ma
jor power" willing to give the
island economic aid and wishing
to make Malta a base.
This was the draft which Mr..
Creech Jones rejected, and when
it was referred to the Maltese
cabinet the phrase ANY other
major power'-which was taken
to mean Russia-was deleted, as
was also a reference to a refer
endum in Malta to determine
whether the people wanted to con-
tinue their allegiance to Britain.
Will Find Solution
The final draft of the ulti-
matum read as follows:
Should the British governments
decision on Malta's claim for di-
rect participation in Marshall aid
(f1rst raised in September, 1948)
be postponed to later date than
August -. 1949, or should an in
adequate reply by given by that
date to Malta's just representa-
tions, the government of Malta
will lay the whole dispute before
their people, who will be asked in
national referendum whether, in
the changed circumstances, they
wish to submit Malta'S case to the
United States with a view to
Malta's receiving economic aid
and as a quid pro quo the United
States using Malta as a base"
There was then, an ultimatum,
but it was not in any form which
implied that Russia might be
given an opportunity to use the
island if Britain did not provide
aid. Nor was there reference, as
the cabinet finally approved the
draft, to a direct vote on allegi-
ance to Britain.
There was, however, the threat
that Malta's case might be carried
to the United States if satisfac-
ton were not obtained. What
reception that case would have
received in Washington is prob
lematical, for it has not been
presented and probably will not
be.
Little Malta's "ultimatum" to
big Britain did not stand up long,
for Britain apparently could not
be moved very far in the direc-
tion Of direct aid for the little
island which took such beating
during the war. Yet Maltas
difficulties in this connection are
an interesting sidelight on the
larger question of Britain's con-