[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sin,—Will you allow me to say that I think you are wholly right in your request for a juridical settlement of the dispute with the Irish Free State ? I feel sure that no one who has read the Parliamentary Paper C.M.D. 4056 can have any doubt as to the judgement that would be delivered by a Common- wealth Court created ad hoe. But there are many people in Ireland and America and the Dominions who do not read Parliamentary Papers, and many of these are Irish. To them the controversy is the old conflict between the Protestant ascendancy and Irish nationality. And this belief, however mistaken, is strengthened by the statement that Mr. de Valera is supported by legal opinion. It would be most unfor- tunate, therefore, if the controversy renewed the old con- troversies which we bad hoped were happily buried. For- tunately there are means of determining all such controversies and we have everything to gain by having recourse to them.
Imperialism is either dead or mortally wounded. Mr. Churchill may shout his sie rota, sic jubeo and summon armies to enforce his will in Europe and Asia, but no one will respond,
The new forces in conflict are nationalism and internationalism, and in applying for the judicial settlement of a dispute with a small State we show at once our respect for nationalism and our acceptance of internationalism. The results of the example would not be limited to the peoples of the Commonwealth, but would influence all Europe to the advantage of all.—I
am, Sir, &e., GRAHANI BOWER. Studwell Lodge, Droalord, Hants.
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