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FORTNIGHT 7
"I am not at all convinced about ... the "There will have to beDemocracies bulwarks were a little
negotiations
challenge to our intelligent, cultured and between RTE and BBC/UTV on
suspect last week-end, whenthe
the Govern
Christian civilisation because of people establishment of a national
ment sacked thetelevision
RTE Authority, and RTE
viewing the BBC. We are an adult network . . . There must be an
staff responded entirely
by depriving the nation of
responsible society, an iltelligent and different approach." Deputy Desmond
radio and television during a rather
discerning society and our people will not (Lab.). critical period.
be brainwashed." Deputy Treacy.
"It is all very well to criticise by
comparing RTE with other stations,
particularly with such great sporting pro
grammes as "Match of the Day". I
wonder if such a programme on Irish ONtill &Lond Biookeborough Alistair B. Cooke
soccer would have the same audience as
the English programmes. For instance
would a match between Shamrock Rovers
and Sligo Rovers attract many viewers?" implies that exercises in public relations
Deputy Belton (FG). Was Terence O'Neill the progressive for the benefit of his supporters were a
liberal man he now makes out to be? waste of time, suitable only for untrust
-\ Alistair Cooke, prompted by O'Neill's worthy people, with ulterior motives like
recently published biography, examines Mr. Faulkner. Instead of explaining care
HERE 1$ THE . O'Neill's record and his relationship with
the traditional hard line Unionism carried
fully to the Unionist party why the govern
ment had to recognise the I.C.T.U. in
MEWS ? WRITTEN out by his predececessor, Lord Brooke 1963, he set off on the first of several
AND READ BY
borough. jaunts to America, where he was snubbed
by President Kennedy. Although only a
Politics breed some curious customs. war-time officer, he had more of a military
\ -CM
they bring forward policies which deserve much the same way as the Grand Old
the support of all reasonable men. Duke of York treated his troops,
attracting criticism only among the selfish expecting them to follow wherever he led.
and irresponsible elements in society. He regarded the Ulster Unionist Council
All our history contradicts this view. In as a relic of the past without any real sign
the British parliamentary system (even as ificance, and not as a vital link which kept
applied to Ulster) sound measures win the party leadership in close touch with
approval, not because of their inherent local Unionist communities throughout the
virtues, but because clever politicians fix province. His idea of a good party meeting
up a situation in which an opposition was one in which 'there were enough
cannot flourish. In the one essential people of good sense to back me up", so
respect politics never change: a Prime that he could ignore signs of dissatis
Minister's opponents are always seeking faction, however ominous. It is hardly sur
to replace him and are not fussy about prising that effective control over large
their methods. Any modern political sections of the party tended to slip into
leader can set his civil servants to work on other hands. After 1966 Mr. Craig set out
producing bright ideas and impressive to capture the Unionist right while the
I" ' V J
pieces of legislation. That is the least of centre came increasingly within the orbit
his functions. The real test comes when he of Mr. Faulkner, leaving O'Neill to talk
has to get that legislation accepted by his rather self-indulgently of his plans for
party that
and parliament, and make the retirement in autumn 1969. There are few
"The narrow-minded view allowing
opposition
what was referred to here as look ridiculous. On such
a "foreign signs that he ever thought seriously about
occasions virtuosity
influence" in through television is isa alot
priceless
ofgift. A the possibility of becoming a distinguished
Prime Minister
damn nonsense . . . some ofwho sets outpro
the to implement non-partisan, almost non-party, figure
a definitethose
grammes, particularly and unalterable
from programme until events in late 1968 (and Mr. Wilson)
over a number
Northern Ireland, show a far of years is his own worst
higher forced him to assume that role (to-day he
enemy. Changing circumstances are bound is inclined to treat the 1920 Act as
degree of Irish culture than anything put
to destroy
on by RTE." Deputy Tully both his plans and his
(Lab.). Ireland's greatest grievance). Before 1969
"I have often wondered what adver
reputation. he simply wished to be a successful, if
tisers did before RTE These
was reflections were prompted by a
founded." slightly unusual. Unionist Prime Minister,
Deputy Burke (FG). study of The Autobiography of Terence but failed to grasp how that quite modest
O'Neill (Rupert
"Our identity as a nation is in Hart-Davis,
some ?2.25), objective might best be attained. The main
whose chief interest lies in its omissions. result of his efforts was the emergence of
danger of being submerged in an insipid
mid-Atlantic mediocrity He
by doesthe
not describe his attempts to
increasing a situation in which opposition of all kinds
emphasis on urbanisationprepareand
the ground for liberal reform in
commer found it easy to flourish. Prime Ministers
cialism." Deputy Burke.Ulster. On the contrary he strongly are not appointed to do such things.
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8_ THURSDAY, 30th NOVEMBER, 1972
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FORTNIGHT 9
We should not allow O'Neill's recent result of some long-standing committment cabinet and parliament. This is not to say
aberrations to blind us to the close resemb to restructure society. We must look that O'Neill should have allowed the worst
lences that once existed between him and instead to his wholly admirable, if limited, elements in his party to dictate to him. It
Lord Brookeborough. They shared a taste attempt to improve the atmosphere in means simply that power has to be
for foreign travel. They both agreed that a Ireland which went badly wrong because organized carefully before it can be used,
Labour government at Westminster was in the ground had not been properly even if the purpose for which it is required
the best interests of Ulster. Brooke prepared. is not particularly adventurous or exciting.
borough preferred Attlee to Churchill, It is a delusion to pretend that anything That is the main lesson to be drawn from
who (he suspected) had never really significant can be achieved under a party the O'Neill tragedy as revealed in these
reconciled himself to the partition of system without a firm basis of support in memoirs.
Ireland. O'Neill found Macmillan too
delphic, but immediately came under the
OurManlnSberia
spell of Harold Wilson ('his public image
does not do justice to the real man',
according to the O'Neill memoirs). It was
probably O'Neill's one-sided relationship Tom Hadden
with Wilson (who was hardly aware of its
existence) that caused him to depart from
the Brookeborough tradition in the Tom Hadden, our managing editor, is on mostly free if you are a foreigner, though
management of affairs. For instance, while an extended foreign tour of Russia, the in theory you pay three kopecks or about
Brookeborough had spent much time Far East and Melanesia. In this issue he lp a glass?from the carriage attendant.
thinking of ways to increase the wealth gives some personal impressions of his Whatever it is, everyone talks. German is
of the province, he always remained journey through Russia on the Trans the best medium when your Russian is a
conscious of the great problems that Siberian Railway. bit thin with the older people, English
seemed to have no solutions. O'Neill, Most of us have got some outlandish with the younger ones. And they talk
however, frequently spoke as if an notion or other that we never quite get pretty frankly too. Not like the university
economic miracle lay just around the round to. One of mine has always been the professor I had arranged an interview with
corner. He came to accept Wilson's belief Trans-Siberian Railway. Now that I have in Kiev, who sounded like a propaganda
that the essence of good government in done it?Moscow to Nakhodka (the civil a record right down to the Leninisms
the 1960's lay in the creation of a rising port for Vladivostock) in seven and a half on every imaginable subject. There is a
tide of prosperity (or growth, as it was days of solid train?I have had to quietly distinction between official and; unofficial
called in the jargon of the day). Once that forget all those fond illusions about talk in Russia, and you get far more
had been achieved other difficulties would pioneering and the hard wooden seats. official than unofficial. When I
simply melt away. Thus, inequality (in The train leaves every day, sometimes complained about it to a student?on a
England) and bigotry (in Northern twice a day, from both ends, and everyone train of course?who was making the
Ireland) could be brought to end without has a comfortable sleeping berth all the usual point about saying one thing and
much direct assistance from politicians. way for a mere ?40 for the 5,000 miles all believing another in most university
Charitable people will wish to in. Each train holds 500 or so, and is courses, he simply made the comparison
exonerate O'Neill, believing that he sac packed out most of the way, so you can with politicians in the West. Political talk
rificed position and authority for the sake work out for yourself how many people is just more pervasive in Russia. You soon
of a cause. Liberal-minded historians are make the journey each year. Besides my get used to it, he said. And you can always
particularly good at defending Prime grandfather did it more than fifty years get on a train and work off a little of the
Ministers who split their parties on the ago, and the trip to Peking?twice a week frustration on your fellow travellers.
grounds that such acts of recklessness now, but you can't get a visa?was de The impression you get from all this is
require some special moral quality denied rigeur for all the best Noel Coward of a people quite happily living their lives
to other politicians and lesser mortals. In characters in the thirties. under a political system which they accept
the case of O'Neill, however, one has to When you get over the illusions, in the same way we accept ours. There's
ask whether he represented anything though, it's as good a way of finding out not a great deal you can do about it, so
worth suffering for. The issue is far from about Russia as any. Trains are where all you point out the good things and gripe a
clear. The more one searches for the firm, the serious political discussion in Russia little about the rest. The good things in
tangible centre of O'Neill's programme gets carried on. If you had time to read Russia are the equality, the health and
the harder it becomes to find. There was any Tolstoi or Dostoievsky, which you education services, the cultural activities,
no master-plan for Ulster, economic policy usually haven't, you would see that it has cheap travel and the new consumer goods.
apart. His liberalism consisted largely of a always been that way. People talk to you The bad things are the shortage of
number of well-publicised acts of on trains in a way they never do in hotels housing, the restrictions on foreign travel
kindness. There were handshakes for or aeroplanes. Perhaps it's the fact that un and the double talk.
priests, and smiles all round. More dressing and dressing together?there is The Westerner may have a different
positive opportunities for doing good were no sex segregation?breaks down the view on some of these. The consumer
rejected, as in the case of local govern barriers. Perhaps, it's eating with all sorts goods are a little lacking in choice, you
ment reform which the O'Neill adminis of people on the constant trips down to can buy most things in the shops now,
tration firmly refused to take up while it the buffet car for a drink or a meal or just though a lot of the people in them still
retained freedom of action. His decline in a plate of soup. Or just the huge distances seemed to be counter-shopping?just
1968-9, and subsequent conversion to with so little change in the scenery drifting round the departments seeing
radicalism, cannot be explained as the (If any), and the constant supply of tea? what there was on display?rather than
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