SIR,-In your issue of March 15 you published a letter from a certain " X," which consisted of a disgusting attack on Ireland. The writer hes obviously misunderstood completely statements, in the Irish News Letter of February 15, citing some of the benefits which would accrue to England from a United Ireland, should Partition be abolished. He indulges in abuse of this country for having remained neutral in the recent war, while England struggled for the liberty or the world. The fact is, that England cannot expect any alliance or true friendship with Ireland, as long as she maintains, with an annual money subsidy and an Army of Occupation, a puppet Government in the Six Counties. Apparently in order to lend weight to this harangue, he claims Irish blood as a great-grandson of the Liberator. As the representative in the male line of the Liberator's family, I can scarcely believe this claim, but cannot deity it as " X " shelters under a non-de-plume. Even though a serving soldier, he could have signed his name, whilst omitting his rank and regiment,
Darrynane Abbey, Caherdaniel. Co. Ken y.
Ste,-If your correspondent Mr. "X" (who apparently lacks the courage to sign his name to his letter) has lost his admiration for Eire, perhaps he could sec his way to bestow that admiration on the defeated and oppressed Catholics in the Six Counties and perhaps he would use his influence to ensure that the liberty of the world, so nobly fought for by many, including nationals of that fly-hlown, blowsy and slightly smelly country Eire, will be exs tended to the opponents of the Six County Government, that carefully planned and as carefully nurtured bridgehead of British Imperialism. I am sum we Catholics here in " Ulster " would feel very much comforted in the knowledge that we have the admiration of such a champion and his sympathy for us in our defeat and oppression would do much to reconcile us to gerrymandered conetituencies, religious tests for public appointments and the many other little inconveniences which help to maintain the bridgehead. EDWARD Knea, 28, St, Meryl Park.
Belfast,
Ste,-Captain Hugh Delargy's atticle in the Irish Times, Saturday, March In, should correct your anti-1 rish correspondent's impression of Irish " self-complacency." Let me quote: "This is the only country outeide America where there is no danger of famine. . . . But it seems to me that Ireland's surplus, while it means plenty for its own small population, would be a mere drop in a bucket when shared out among Britain's forty-eight millions. And, in any case, Irish food has always gone where the need was greatest. During the war, most of it was shipped to Britain. Since then, and chiefly through the Irish Red Cross, food has been sent to India, cattle to Holland and substantial gifts to France, Italy and Hungary."
Captain Delargy then adds:
" I believe, nevertheless, that on a barter basis more food might be sent to Britain in exchange for the goods which Ireland needs most, coal, petrol, fertilisers, cattle food and agricultural machinery. Production would thereby be increased and a greater surplus released for distribution." Feitous R. Re.vemos. 77, Derbyshire Lane,
Stretford, Manchester.
SIR,--After considering Eire's grievance. apparently our friends of Southern Ireland take the view that England, after subscribing to the doctrine of self-determination for small nations, shamelessly ignored that principle in the case of Ireland, The reality is that England was confronted by two claimants for self-determination and honoured the principle to which she had subscribed in favour of each of them. It was not England that denied Eire's rights, but the Six Counties that claimed the same rights and England took the only course which the hanourahly could take, granting to each part of Ireland what it reasonably claimed.
J. K. Iirrineoe.
Regency Cottage, Lashlake, Theme, Oxon.
Ste,-As for food, "X" is no doubt aware that we exported during the war (and are still exporting) to England vast quantities of food, in return for which we accepted paper money to ,the face value of tens of millions of pounds. With this money. we have been able to purchase THE CATHOLIC HeReeo-and very little else. We have done this with our eyes open. We have sent food also to other places. One brave little country sent us all she had in exchangesome tulips, which are more decorative than banknotes, and arc therefore at present of greater value. Please lo not misunderstand me; I do not seek gratuitously to disparage your British money-only to assist " X " to a more accurate view of whatever share of Irish food reaches his table. A CrrizaN OP TRH IRISH REPUBLIC.
S1R,-The UnknOWII •'X " whose. letter appeared in last week's Coneoree HERALD is like a good many Englishmen who " love Ireland in defeat and oppression," but cannot stomach Ireland prosperous and free. To suitably express his hatred " X" stoops to falsehood and vulgarity. Never have good living and fat meats been offered to the people of the Six Counties as a bribc to throw in their lot with the Republic. On the contrary, Professor Savory. M.P for Queen's University, Belfast, in a recent letter to the Press claimed that "26,000 inhabitants of Southern Ireland had emigrktted during the war across the border to enjoy the better social conditions existing in the Six Counties." T. G. MCCORMACX.
St. Bruno, Clevedon Road, Failand, Bristol, 8.
Sta,-The %ether's abysmal ignorance is only matched and suited by his complete disregard for truth and his firm adherence to Stalin's " Tell a big one." Even a cursory perusal of the daily press would have shown him that many hardships were involved by Eire's neutrality policy, to wit: (a) lack of British coal which in peace was the only fuel used in our urban centres; (h) stringent tea restriction of a 4 oz, per person per week; (c) a petrol shortage in conjunction with the lack of coal which put many parts of Eire in isolation and hindered and dislocated trade; (d) maintenance of a state of war owing to the potential threat from both belligerents.
Belfast. T. R.
SIR,-While we " wallowed in neutrality " the number or Eire-born citizens who served in the British forces during the recent war was-in proportion to our population-about double that from " Northern Ireland," and about 300,000 of our young people worked in your factories and fields, They were in practice conscripted by hunger for " foreign " service, and 7.000 of our soldiers deserted to join your Army. P. MORAN. Mental Hospital, Arden.