S1R,—A few days ago Mr. de Valera delivered a speech
at Navan in which he said " We will defend ourselves from attack from any quarter." But the people of Eire are not defending themselves; neither have they been doing it for many months past. The Nazi attacks upon shipping in the Atlantic are, in effect, just as much attacks upon Eire as upon Britain; and the use of ports in Eire by the British or American fleets, from the point of view of defence, Would be no more a departure from neutrality than (say) an attack by Eire land forces upon landing parties of German soldiers or marines.
Mr. de Valera is leaving to the British and American fleets the task of protecting Eire from certain invasion, and ensuring a con- tinuity of her imports and exports. Surely, therefore, it would not be a departure from neutrality, or in any way inconsistent with the duty of Eire to defend herself, if British and/or American fleets were allowed the use of ports in Eire to facilitate a continuance of those defence operations which have been in progress since September,
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