October 5 1974
There is a saying to the effect that those who cannot or will not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. The history of Europe in the past fifty or sixty years is a grim confirmation of this truism: the history of Ireland over the same period even more strikingly so.
But since the Irish themselves are basically an intelligent race, and since the English have always been regarded as essentially pragmatists in politics, the basic truths of what went wrong and of what must be done to put things right have finally been accepted, not only by the sincere or idealistic, but by the realists, and by all who, if they have been formerly slow to accept unpalatable facts are, nevertheless, constructive in their outlook and have the welfare of the ordinary people of this country at heart.
For this reason Sunningdale, with its concept of power-sharing and of an Irish dimension, was accepted by a very solid majority of the politicians and the people they represented. As a result of a now generally acknowledged untimely and unnecessary British General Election and before the Executive had had an opportunity to work, certain tragically backward-looking and reactionary political leaders led their people to believe that time could be halted, and a state of affairs which existed before the 1914-1918 War will be rebuilt in six north eastern counties of this island.
A fair amount of water has gone under the bridges in Britain too since last February, and now two of the three contending parties in the forthcoming Election have categorically stated that they are prepared to forgo pre-eminence and form a coalition, since they believe that only a government composed of all parties can successfully deal with the problems facing the nation.
The SDLP, which has always stood for reconciliation and peace is vilified alike by the men of violence and by spokesmen of the Northern Ireland Labour Party. Politics, it is said, makes strange bedfellows. It is easy to see why the SDLP is hated by extremists on both sides. But it is a sad day for the NILP when, as it must seem, to try for a little temporary political advantage, they resort to the language of the intolerant and the blusterer.
Crushing down the Irish orientation, discrimination against Catholics, is what has this area in the state it is. Sensible, realistic and constructive people in Ireland and Britain have now come to see this. Mutual respect is infinitely more healing, more profitable and more dignified than mutual contempt.
