17 MAY 1940, Page 6

As the war moves westward the position in Eire must

demand increasing attention. We have seen what internal Nazi intrigue means in countries like Norway and Holland. There are few sympathisers with Hitkrism in Eire, but there is a German Minister in Dublin, and wherever a• German Legation exists there exists a centre of enemy intrigue of the most active and dangerous order. Herr Hitler might or Might not find the occupation of Eire convenient for the execution of his plans. If he did he would treat it as he has every other small country when it suited him. Eire would be in little danger from the sea so long as the British Navy is unconquered (though a German submarine put Sir Roger Casement ashore on the Kerry coast in 1916), but bombers might get there from Holland or from Norway. Whether, having got there, they could refuel and reload with bombs is another question.