IRISH ISSN 0790-7672 October 2005 Haughey's Legacy POLITICAL Sinn Fein Speaking Rights In Dáil John Redmond vs Benedict XV Volume 20 No 10 Irish Ferries: Choppy Waters ? REVIEW (Back page: Labour Comment) Incorporating Volume 19 Number 10 The Northern Star Workers' Weekly ISSN 0954-5891 Contents: See Page Two A Visionary A Revelation . Republican? In The Dail On the day the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning—the There is a neat little theory that our real one, set up within the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, which has acted globalisers tell us about the world: independently, as distinct from Lord Alderdyce’s ‘Independent Monitoring Commission’ protectionism is a bad thing because it nominated by the two Governments, which acts as their agent—on the day when the real inevitably leads to national conflicts and Monitoring Commission announced the completion of arms decommissioning by the war. This is now accepted as such a truism Provisional IRA, the Acting Taoiseach, Michael McDowell, made a curious statement that it would be regarded as almost lunatic in an interview on Channel 4. Asked about his response to General de Chastelain’s to deny it. However, a moment’s thought report, he said: could not but conclude that there is no “It is of significance, but it’s not the end of the road by any manner of means” logical connection whatever between Question: “What worries you most? The robbery of the Northern Bank, the 26 protectionism and war. In fact the very millions?” opposite is the only logical conclusion. McDowell: “Well, what worries me is that the Provisional movement in its entirety Why would any country committed to would seek to have the IRA remain in abeyance and apply the proceeds of criminality to looking after itself through its own its campaign to win seats North and South of the Border. That’s not acceptable to me. But, resources automatically resort to war? in the meantime, it is, as I say, an important day that the largest separatist movement in History confirms this. Ireland did not Ireland has in a way destroyed its arms and put them beyond use to-day, and that it has develop a warlike attitude to any country said to the majority community in Northern Ireland: From now on we propose to carry on our politics by entirely peaceful and democratic means” (26th September 2005). when it was implementing a protectionist policy. On the other hand, its nearest The curious thing is not the assumption that democratic means are possible in a neighbour has been and is now the greatest political entity which is not a democracy. That misuse of language is commonplace. promulgator and practitioner of free trade Northern Ireland is not itself a democratic state (or any kind of state), nor is it a and has initiated more wars than any other democratic part of the democratic state which holds it. It is something unique in the state—indeed as many as all other modern history of the world: a deliberately arranged undemocratic enclave within a democratic states combined. This basic fact in itself state which is systematically excluded from the political life of the state. Democracy is should cast doubt on the suggestion that continued on page 2 continued on page 6 1 C O N T E N T S the independence movement took off. Page After that (aside from Kevin O’Higgins’ A Visionary Republican? Editorial 1 flirtation with Imperialism in the mid- A Revelation In The Dail. Jack Lane 1 1920s) separatism was taken for granted Atom Bombs On Japan. Ted O'Sullivan (unpublished letter) 3 as the general political medium within Shorts from the Long Fellow. (Sindo Supports Vantalism Again; Land Of The which political differences developed. Brave? Who Guards The Guards? More EU Arrogance; Media Comment Inflated Egos 8 But now the Acting Taoiseach reveals Keeping It Real. John Martin 9 that Sinn Fein is the largest separatist A Question For Mr. Mansergh. Jack Lane (Report) 9 movement in the country, which can only Casement Melodramatics. Seán McGouran 10 be true if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have Irish Press Royal Honour: Food For Thought! (Report) 10 reverted to some pre-1918 position. Haughey's Legacy. John Martin 11 The Politics Of Criminality. Seán McGouran 13 Perhaps the word “separatist” is fused UCD Symposium On De Valera. 'Up Dev' 14 with the word “physical force” in his Das Kapital—A Belated Comment. Jim Dixon (Letter) 15 mind. That would be understandable on Na Creatuiri Bochta Gallda. Liam Mac I Shearcaigh (Translation) 15 the part of somebody who dwells so much Sprechen Sie Dáil? Joe Keenan 16 on the political lineage of his family, Storm In A Rubber Stamp. Joe Keenan 19 going back to the days when Britain See No, Hear No, Speak No Evil. Joe Keenan 20 governed Ireland and treated the mere Redmond And The Pope's Peace Efforts Of 1915. Pat Walsh (Part 3 of series) 22 advocacy of separatism as seditious. The Spies & Lies. Conor Lynch, Joe Keenan 26 advocacy of a separate state, let alone the Gender & Identity. Seán McGouran 26 achievement of it, could only be under- taken by people who were prepared to Labour Comment, edited by Pat Maloney (back page): maintain themselves as an organisation in Choppy Waters Ahead! (Irish Ferries & Redundancies) a relationship of warfare with the Govern- The End Of The Co-Op? ment. Separatists were compelled by British policy to set themselves up as a something which cannot exist in it, if the But it is not yet bigger than Fine Gael, and secret state within the State—as were word is used to mean the election of the we were not aware that Fine Gael had similar groups of people in the Tsarist Government of the state by the adult renounced the separatist ideal which led it Empire at the same time, and under the population. An actual system of demo- to withdraw the State from the British Nazi State a generation later. The separat- cracy of that kind (and there isn’t really Empire and Commonwealth and to declare ion of Ireland from the British Empire was any other in modern times) has a multitude it a Republic. However, McDowell, Fine something which the undemocratic British of effects on the general functioning of Gaeler though he is in essence, has no State declared that it would not concede to society, and brings about a situation which brief to speak for that party. But he must peaceful agitation, and would prevent by could not be caused by any other means. be taken as speaking for Fianna Fail. the use of military power. There was The condition of society in the North, Within the governing Coalition, the tail therefore a close practical association which is so piously deplored by the has been speaking for the dog since the between the Irish separatist ideal and the righteous, is proof that there is no effective beginning of the year and the dog has organisation of a physical force movement substitute for actual democracy in bringing allowed him to. So we can take it that to achieve it. And that remained the case, about the situation of which the righteous Fianna Fail gave him permission to remove even when the British State raised 200,000 approve. But the righteous—and Acting it from the ranks of the separatists. A few soldiers in Ireland to make war on the Taoiseach McDowell is the most righteous years ago it deleted “the Republican Germans and the Turks by declaring that of the righteous—are usually locked in to Party” from its title, and now it lets us its purpose was to establish democracy a kind of moral posturing which inhibits know through McDowell that it has ceased and the rights of small nations as founda- thought, and they dare not trace the deplor- to be a separatist party as well. tions of a new world order, and gave an able condition of the North to its cause— apparent sign of earnestness by democ- because it is not permissible that Britain But this use of language is quaint, ratising its own electoral franchise by the should be held responsible for it—and so antique. Separatism as a distinct political Reform Act of 1918. they ignore causes while indulging in position within nationalist Ireland became vehement denunciations of consequences. obsolete more than 80 years ago, when all But, when the Irish electorate took the And they use “democracy” as a synonym other positions ceased to exist. Until war propaganda in earnest and voted for for “pacifism”. about 1920 there were Home Rulers and the establishment of a separate Irish State, Separatists. The Home Rulers were it found that the newly-democratised Brit- The curious thing about McDowell’s dominant until the 1918 Election but, when ish Parliament took no heed of its vote and statement was his description of the Provos they lost that Election, they ceased to be that it would have to fight in order to gain as “the largest separatist movement in Home Rulers. The Local Government what it had voted for. The practical equati- Ireland”; and that there was not an immed- Elections of 1920 confirmed the 1918 on between separatism and physical force iate repudiation of it by his Government result, and in the 1921 Elections there was still maintained by Britain. But the ally, Fianna Fail, or even by Fine Gael. were no Home Rule candidates. The terms of the relationship had changed Home Rulers were only Home Rulers out within Ireland, by reason of the vote.