The Auckland Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1933. FREE STATE ELECTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 25, 31 January 1933, Page 6

The Auckland Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1933. FREE STATE ELECTIONS.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance For the future in ihe distance. And the good that toe can do.

In 1922 Mr. de Yalera's party numbered 36; to-day it numbers 77. There has been a steady growth in his party strength, and although he does not command an absolute majority over all other parties combined, since the Speaker, who cxercises only a casting vote, is among his adherelits, yet it is fairly certain that he will receive the support of Labour, and this will give him a working majority of.sixteen, compared with four in the previous Dail. His dependence on the Labour Party may induce him to modify his attitude towards Britain, since the Irish Labour Party is not so much concerned with the formation of an independent republic as with economic and social reconstruction. Labour supported the Bill to remove the Oath of Allegiance, on the ground that the controversy was delaying social reforms rather than because it desired any open conflict with the British Government.

It would seem that the tariff war with Britain, in spite of its disastrous effect on Irish exports, has strengthened Mr. de Yalera's position. In August, which was the first complete month of the tariff war, the Free State's exports had fallen by £.1,890,000, of which nearly half was represented by the drop of £902,000 in the cattle trade. This emphasised the dependence of the Free State on Britain, and gave point to Mr. do Yalera's contention that the Irish Free State could not continue being "John Bull's cattle ranch." Britain's attitude was represented as being an attempt to coerce Ireland and use trade relations to influence what Mr. de Valera contended were matters of domestic policy. The'nationalist spirit was roused, and. renewed support was found for the doctrine which Mr. de Valera and his friends had been preaching for years, that the dependence of Ireland upon trade with England was fundamentally wrong. They contended that it had led to all the rich lands of the midlands being given up to grazing, instead of supporting a large and prosperous peasant population. They had denounced the cattle trade as the cui'se of Ireland, and when the British Government imposed prohibitive duties on Irish cattle, a pretext was found for proclaiming the necessity for the country to be independent and self-contained.

National sentiment rather than hostility to Britain is said by Mr. de Valera to be the foundation on which he proposes to frame his future policy. He hopes to decentralise industry and build up smaller, moderately self-contained towns. The industrial position of Dublin will almost inevitably suffer if he carries out his programme, and much unemployment will result at first; but Mr. de Valera contends that the large Dublin industries have never been chiefly concerned with the Irish market, and he hopes to encourage small factories to capture the home market and provide employment in many local centres. An independent and self-contained Ireland will be poorer, and claims for social reconstruction will be greater. Mr. de Valera has made many promises, but he will find the more prosperous career he has prophesied for his country under his rule is more difficult of attainment than he has led the electors to suppose.