The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. MONDAY, JULY 5, 1937. ELECTIONS IN EIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 157, 5 July 1937, Page 6

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

MONDAY, JULY 5, 1937. ELECTIONS IN EIRE.

For the cause that tacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

Though incomplete, the returns of the polling in the Irish Free State —which in future is to be known as "Eire"—indicate that Mr. Rle Valera's party will retain office, though possibly with a reduced following. A Government which has been in office for five years may expect some weakening of popular support, but it had been contended by Mr. de Valera's supporters that the constitutional changes by means of which he has made the Free State a Republic in almost everything hut the name were so strongly approved by all Irishmen that the Government could count on an overwhelming victory at the polls. This expectation has not been realised. Mr. de Valera's is still the strongest party, and the new Constitution (the subject of a referendum) has been favoured, so far, by 56 per cent of the voters. On the figures the country's support of the Government cannot be described as enthusiastic . There are indications that th* issue of the Free State's relationship with Britain is less in the minds of Irishmen than are the "bread and butter" questions which commonly influence voters everywhere.

The outstanding "bread and butter" question is that of the economic war which has been going on with England for five years. Mr. de Valera decided to withhold certain moneys which formerly had been paid to the British Government by the Free State Government, and the British, in retaliation, imposed penal tariffs on Free State imports. The figures for three years showed that Mr. de Valera withheld a sum of £14*531,668 from the British Exchequer, while the British 1 Government collected £14,661,920 in special duties. Superficially the' "account" was balanced, butvthe special duties have had farreaching effects, especially to the detriment of Ireland's most profitable industry, the export of live stock. It has been estimated that the annual loss to Irish farmers is three or four times the, £5,000,000 which Mr. de Valera withholds. Under the. new Constitution the' Government may conduct external affairs without the use of the name of the Crown. On the other hand, as it has been pointed out, "nothing is actually laid down which would render impossible the maintenance of the British rights as to defence." These rights, which include the occupation of some Free State ports by British forces, were recently included by Mr. de Valera in his description of the "many injustices in the existing political situation," and it may be expected that he will soon endeavour to reach a new agreement with Britain concerning them. The question is one of growing importance because of the situation in Europe, and it may be hoped that when Mr. de Valera is confirmed in office a serious effort will be made both in London and Dublin to settle it, and also the miserable economic dispute. On the one hand, it should by now be clear that the Free State is resolved upon complete political separation from Britain, and on the other that Britain is economically necessary to the Free State. It is time to make a "fresh start, and the beginning must be a display of liberal tolerance on both sides.