Danger in Eire
The obvious dangers to which Ireland, both North and South, is exposed through the possible designs of a dictator to whom neutrality is meaningless have had salutary effects in the political field. Party hostilities have been suspended. Mr. de Valera, Mr. Cosgrave and Mr. Norton, the leader of the Labour Party, are maintaining constant contact. Reserves have been called up and the army is at full strength. The Government, in the view of the experienced Irish politician who writes on the subject on a later page, is probably in a position to deal with any disturbance for which the I.R.A. alone might be responsible. But a German attempt at inva- sion would be quite another matter, and such an attempt is by no means to be ruled out. In such a crisis the division of Ireland, and lack of co-operation in defence, have deplorable consequences, whatever may be the justification for it in normal times. If there were men in Northern and Southern Ireland of large enough vision to put. their own dissensions in .right relation with the overshadowing menace of Hitlerism the hope might yet be entertained of common action between Britain, Eire and Ulster for the self-protection of them all. The fate of Belgium and of Holland has demonstrated the consequences of hugging a technical neutrality till it suits the purposes of the aggressor to spurn and violate it. The possi- bility of some initiative in Whitehall should not be excluded. Whatever peril menaces Ireland menaces north and south alike, and common measures must be taken to deal with it. Refusal to co-operate may well spell suicide.
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