NOT ORGANISED FOR WAR

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 89, 14 April 1923, Page 7

NOT ORGANISED FOR WAR

NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS.

LONDON, 13th April. The Free State Army was the subject of a debate in the Dail Eireann.

General Mulcahy, answering criticism in regard to its control, said he did not believe they were organising the army fo? war. It would be disastrous if the Free State became engaged in war with another countiy. It was not a war machine, but one which had pulled the country out of a difficult situation, and had helped to develop national characteristics of which they were proud.

For some past there has been much dissatisfaction in Ireland in regard to the army, stated a cable- message of 7th April. Since the death of Michael Collins it has been ran by an Army Council consisting of General Mulcahy, Com-maiidei"-in-Cnief, General MacMahon, •Chief of Staff, Lieutenanfc-General O'Sullivan, Adjutant-General, Lieutenant-Gen-eral Scan O'Muirthille, QuartermasterGeneral,' and Major-General Dermot O'Hegarty, Director of Intelligence. These men were prominent in the AngloIrish fighting, but none is a trained soldier.

All are ardent Gaelic Leaguers, and many friends of the Free State have been of the opinion that too much attention is being paid to the development of a Gaelic army and too little to the development of an efficient fighting force. Recently, these misgivings- have crystallised, and now, apparently, the Government has decided on action.

It is understood that the GovernorGeneral used his influence in the matter and that a committee is about to be formed, which will assume all'the Army Council's functions. :

The committee will consist of Mr. Kevin O'Higgins (chairman),, Mr. W. P. Cosgrave (president), Mr. Joe MacGrath, and Generals Mulcahy and MacMahon. It seems to be a compromise, as it contains two of the principal members of the old Army_ Council, but the presence of three civilians, and more particularly the fact that Mr. O'Higgins is chairman, will ensure civil supremacy in all army affairs.