The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1933. THE MAIN ISSUE IN THE FREE STATE ELECTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11830, 11 January 1933, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1933. THE MAIN ISSUE IN THE FREE STATE ELECTION.

Despite the economic suffering occasioned by the tariff war that is raging between Britain and the Tree State, it is plain that a very largo section of the people of Southern Ireland stand for its separation from tbo Empire. It imist he the case that the rank and fdo. of the separationists fail to rciiii.se/tliat, if the Fr'eo State should he permitted to "cut the painter,” that portion of Ireland would have to be treated permanently. as an alien nation and thftt Customs duties would ho levied on Free State products in accordance yvith the scale applicable to all foreign commodities, Mr. Do Valera and his Ministerial colleagues must, of course, understand .the position perfectly well, othonvise the State would nob have troubled to .be represented at the Ottawa Conference,, even .although, they have not shared in the honofits. arising there.from. It requires to he admitted that there has since been, an avowed alteration in their outlook on the matter. How well grounded it is remains to bo seen. , To-day, the Ho Government would have it heii|yed that the Free State, .can do without the advantages of the British’market. The way Mr. De Valera

puts thing?', now is'.that. {he -Free State must aim at being something greater than what ho calls "John Bull’s cattle ranch.”. In other, words, ) le is now . preaching .the doctrine that tlm. Free State must give up placing so - ninety -reliance upon its primary industries and set about to develop more secondary industries mid thus become a more self-contain-ed nation. It is no /.toubv the yoiji- ' Idon. that the Free State would, bo better off if it were to establish more secondary industries. For all that, a very large proportion of its people are agriculturists and have been trained, since childhood to earn their living from the soil. Air. Do Valeria may suppose that, in time, the Free State will be able to export enough manufactures to make. up for the loss owing to the decline in the returns from the marketing of primary produce. Ho does not, however, suggest which of the other nations could bo induced to become customers for excess output of the additional secondary industries which his Government aims at having established. The people of the Free States cannot, of bourse, hope to become a great industrial nation, unless they can build up an extensive trade with other nations. But that is not all. No other nation is likely to'buy, extensively from the Free State unless the Free State is prepared to make extensive purchases from it. Seemingly, Mr. Do Valera and his colleagues have not learned this great economic ..lesson from the results of ‘Soviet Russia’s attempt to win a foremost place in the world of commerce. Tt remains to he seen just how far the extreme Republicans are able to force separation .upon'Mr. Do Yalota and his Ministers. Up till now .the Government has, according to Mr. Cosgrave, stood at heart for separation but has been afraid to adopt soparationisfc measures. Tn connection with the election, tbo whole series of Free Trade grievances against Britain is hoitin- again placed before the electors—the question of the legality of Britain’s -claim for annuities; the Free State Government's counterclaim of £100,009,000 for alleged over-taxation from the time of union in 1801 till 19‘21 and for alleged losses incurred since through Britain going off the gold standard; the claim that the Free State should he relieved of the oath to the Throne; the complaint that Britain has made Ireland a divided nation by its acquiescence in Ulster's demand that it. should be given the status of a Dominion ; and the additional claim that any pa ft of Ireland has a right to sever its conned ion with the Commonwealth of British nations. In short, tbo great issue before the Free State electors to-day amounts simply to one of: For or against the Empire. The dispute between Britain and the Free State is nothing short of tragic and, unquestionably, it- owes its origin to alleged injustices on ibo part of Britain in the past. If the Free State is to prosper it must remain within the Empire and the sootier rhai point is appreciated by the whole of the people of Southern Ireland the hotter it will be for them in everv way.