372 THE BRITISH APPROACH TO POLITICS

and does not figure in the new Constitution. Special acknowledg-
ment is made of the importance of the Catholic Church in Ireland.
The position of the President as head of the State, and the
absence of any representative of the British Crown are significant.
It is quite clear that the new Constitution sets the Treaty aside.
It may be argued that since the Statute of Westminster did not
mention the Treaty restrictions in its proclamation of Dominion
status, the Free State was legally entitled to do as it pleased. **
This' is not the view of the British Government, which holds
that the people of Eire still owe allegiance to the King. It is
however, impossible to say in what respects Eire is part of the
British Commonwealth, except that the British Government
regards it as such, and neither side is anxious to examine the
legalities of the matter too far. Mr. De Valera's objective ever
since the Treaty was signed, has been "an Association of the
Kingdom of Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland". Except
for Northern Ireland, he appears to have reached his goal.

Meanwhile a new difficulty had arisen. The Free State
Government, in order to carry out a land policy, had obtained
financial help from Great Britain, and agreed to make annual
repayments. Mr. De Valera had opposed this policy, and OQ
coming to power refused to pay the land annuities. The British
Government replied with duties on imports from Ireland, which
injured Irish Trade, and brought in some revenue to Britain. In
1938 an agreement was reached by which the British Government
accepted £10,000,000 in final settlement: at the same time the
provisions of the Treaty, as to the use of Irish harbours, were
cancelled. The relations between the two countries are now
better than at any previous period.

UNITY OF THE COMMONWEALTH.

While the Constitution of Eire emphasises that country's
freedom from control of the British Parliament, it should again
be stated that all the Dominions enjoy such freedom; and while
all except Eire have at their head a representative of His Majesty,