Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 3, 1937. FREE STATE CONSTITUTION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 171, 3 May 1937, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 3, 1937. FREE STATE CONSTITUTION.

The draft of the new Constitution for the Irish Free State, published after long preparation, is a drastic document intended to implement Mr de Valera s objective of an independent Republic. The draft, according to the cabled statement, ignores the British Commonwealth and does not mention the King, describing Ireland as a sovereign, independent, democratic State, with all the powers coming under God fro ll3 the people. The Constitution will be submitted for ratification by the people at a general election, probably late next month. A few weeks ago Mr de Valera announced that his aim was a republic virtually independentof the British Commonwealth, yet in voluntary association with it, but apparently he has reconsidered his expressed intention of inserting in the Constitution a clause making provision for such association. As he assumes the right of the Free State to vote out or in any constitutional change regardless of the clear fact, expressed in the Statute of Westminster, that the "style” of the common Crown is a matter beyond alteration by any individual self-governing part of the Commonwealth, his action in this respect shows a lack of touch with realities. The appeal to the electors for ratification ot the severance of the ties that unite the Free State to Britain is made the more fantastic by the fact that his hopes to win the election are based on the progress of his industrial policy of trade pacts with Britain. Ihese, Mr de Valera knows, have been of considerable service in saving many of the Free State people from financial ruin; they have become reconciled to his Government because of his multiplying and strengthening of these commercial ties. Fience he looks —quite hopefully, it seems-—for support for the new Constitution as the major issue at the polls; he expects, that is, votes in favour of an independent republic, fictitiously attached to the British Commonwealth, from electors convinced of the practical benefits of being in constant attachment to it.