Communist Threat to Irish Anti-Partition League

Priest Chairman Has To Resign
RECENT BOMB EXPLOSIONS IN LONDON, MANCHESTER AND ELSEWHERE HAVE FOCUSSED ATTENTION ON THE PROBLEM OF THE CONTINUING PARTITION OF IRELAND.
It would be regarded as tragic by well-meaning Englishmen and Irishmen if it became clear that the just claims of the Irish can only be gained by methods of violence, and alliance with Communism and other subversive forces.
An anti-Partition League has been founded by Irishmen in Manchester to persuade Englishmen of the justice of their claims.
Intimidation was neither aimed at nor desired.
Yet there is now evidence to show that members of this League are co-operating with Communist and other Left organisations, thus compromising the purity of their cause. The priest-chairman of the League has been unseated.
Below, a special Irish Corrspondent points out the danger that the anti-Partition movement may be dominated by believers in methods of violence unless the English Government listens to reasonable representations.
In the meantime thousands of peaceable Irishmen in England have found themselves the objects of suspicion by their neighbours and employers because of the recent explosions.
ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE LEAGUE
By a Special Correspondent It is essential that the fundamental issue should not be obscured and that prejudice should not be allowed to prevent the establishment of goodwill, based on justice and understanding, between the people of Ireland and of all other countries, including I,:n.rland.
In view of the present circumstances, it may be well to state briefly the objects and history of the !Anti Partition League in Manchester, so that Catholic.; may form Some judgment in regard to it.
A few month. ago representatives of various Irish societies in Manchester were invited to discuss the establishme.it of a lague which would endeavour to persuade the English people of the justice of the Irish claim to unity. The primary duty of the league would be to
Inform public opinion in this country. Intimidation of the English people was reither aimed at nor desired.
It was rightly suggested by Mr de Valera that the peep/0 of England, sif proper/y informed, would th,entselves desire to end the unjust partition of Ireland, and so set the basis of friendly relations between the two countries.
The Constitution, enacted by the people of Ireland in December, 1937, sets the tone of the proposed agitation in its 29th article: " Ireland affirms its allegiance to the pacific settlement of international disputes by international arbitration or judicial determination."
The method to be employed by the League was, therefore, one of persuasion rather than coercion.
Suspicions
But it soon became evident that the movement was being used by persons who were not solely concerned with the removal of the border.
The priest-chairman of the Committee Was unseated, and it was suggested that priests should not be invited to seats on the platform a the proposed public meeting lest English people should suspect the finger of Ronie in the Partition Pie! But party politicans were at the same time allowed to use the league for party propaganda. The Constitution of Ireland was put aside as conservative and the leader of the Irish people was spoken of as a reactionary who favoured Capitalism! A Left bookshop was supplied—preeumably by a member of the Committee —with posters advertising the meeting. Communist and Left papers were prepared with a view to sale at the meeting. In one of these there appeared an article written by one who was familiar with the workings of the Committee. Information must have been supplied 1,11 a member of the Committee.
Spain Again
In one of the papers sold at the meeting in the Free Trade Hall Irish workers in England are asked to join the N.U.W.M., a seini-Communist organisation.
Books on Socialism and Communism are advertised in the paper, and an attempt is made, under the guise of Catholicism, to identify the anti-partition movement with Communism. We are told, for instance, that the " Government " in Spain has now made its peace With the Church. The words of a suspended priest on the " clarification " of the Spanish issue are quoted, and it is stated that the '16 Rebellion was nothing more than a stage on the road to Socialism in Ireland! And this paper was bought by Irish workers who were led to believe that it was concerned solely with the removal of the border!
How Far ?
From all this it is clear that there was some reason for the suspicions of those who regarded the anti-partition league as tainted. But how far is the league Itself implicated? It has definitely allowed itself to be used by astute propagandists. It is in danger of being enveloped in a movement which is far from being helpful to Ireland. But it is only fair to add that most of the members of the Committee were not aware of the danger in their midst. And the priest ex-chairman has now resigned
because of the irresponsible actions of some of the members. The " Trojan Horse " is again in evidence!
If the movement against Partition is to gain the support of the people of this country it must be made clear that its object is to 4onvince the thinking man of the inherent justice of the /rish claim and must repudiate any attempt to identify it with subversive elements.
Too Late ?
But this repudiation must not be taken by the British Government as a sign of weakness. The fundamental issue remains. And the sooner that Government undertakes to remove the border set up by it, the better it will be for all conceened.
It is possible that incidents will con tinue. No amount of repudiation by peace-loving Irishmen will necessarily prevent them. But when one remembers that excesses have been committed by the Northern Parliament, it may seem to Northern Nationalists that force is the only weapon left to secure justice. Is it too late for Irishmen to convince the British Government that the time is ripe for peaceful negotiation?
British Subsidies
In the meantime British subsidies continue to flow into "Northern Ireland." Appeals to the British Government to review the situation have so far met with no response. There are Irishmen who desire a peaceful settlement. Will they not be heard? Whilst refusing to listen to reason, the British Government continues to preach a policy of appeasement on the Continent. Six-County Nationalists have before them precedents in Central Europe. They are coming to the conclusion that force and violence are the determining factors in securing justice.
The overwhelming majority of the Irish people have no desire other than that peace between the peoples of the two countries should prevail, peace with justice and recognition of the national rights and essential unity of the Irish nation.
And the Anti-Partition League was formed to express this view to the people of England. If the request for review of the situation is not heard in Westminster, who shall be blamed? Again I ask: Is it too late for the British Government to listen to the voice of reason?
Every Catholic can help by insisting that the claim should at least be considered by those in authority and by emphasising at all times that the Irish agitation is based on love of Ireland rather than on hatred of England.