1 DECEMBER 1944, Page 13

EIRE AND SPAIN

Sia,—As a student of Irish affairs I feel bound to make some comment on the article in today's issue of The Spectator about Eire and War Criminals. Certainly it is a disappointment that Eire should admit the possibility that she might shelter war criminals if their presence should not prove inimical to the interests of the Irish people. All the same, it is well to realise that in spite of her refusal to " toe the line " Eire will probably behave in practice in the same way as the other neutrals.

The statement that Eire's neutrality has been " always to render valuable service to Germany and inflict damage on Britain " is mani- festly unfair. To mention only one of the ways in which Eire has shown on which side her sympathies lie, thousands of Irishmen are fighting with United Kingdom forces. Moreover, though it may be true that Eire has been able to maintain a policy of neutrality only because she has counted on its never being infringed by the Allies, it is also true that Eire could not have counted on adequate defence by Britain had she been attacked by the Axis. The Irish are a logical people and may h taken note of the fate of Greece. When the Prime Minister saw fit to praise the neutrality of Fascist Spain as having been so friendly to the Allies he called forth a storm of protest from the nation, who had heard that Spanish forces were fighting against the Russians but had never heard of any who were fighting against the Germans! If we must listen to fulsome praise of those countries who decided—and were permitted—not to join in the struggle, let us demand the full story and judge for ourselves how Eire's neutrality has worked in practice. Who knows—we may decide to take back the bouquet we gave to Franco and hand it over to Mr. de Valera I—Yours faithfully,

Southfields, Castle Road, Torquay. MARGERY WHITEHORN.