The Germans operate at sea against British commercial ships from French Atlantic bases. The British government is deprived in this war of the possibility of using Irish bases (Kingstown, Cork and others) to combat German submarines. Chamberlain ceded the bases to the government of Eire in 1938. This creates advantages for Germany and problems for England such as neither had in the last war. The more serious the situation at sea becomes, the more the British dream of using the Irish bases. De Valera is categorically against it: Eire adheres to a policy of neutrality, and there are still German and Italian missions working in Dublin.

Recently, another accusation has been levelled against Eire. The British claim to have proof that German submarines take on fuel in western Irish harbours. This may be a British fib to set the ‘mood’ prior to a possible occupation of Eire. But there may also be a grain of truth in it: there are elements in Ireland prepared to do anything to spite England. One cannot exclude the possibility that de Valera or his associates may turn a blind eye to suspicious machinations on the part of the German mission in Dublin.

Be that as it may, ‘Irish complications’ are in the air. There can be little doubt that the British government would occupy Eire, or at least its bases, were it not apprehensive of an adverse response in the United States. But who can tell? Maybe the British government will be able to create circumstances in which the USA would manage to swallow this pill.