THE IRISH ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17782, 16 May 1921, Page 4

THE IRISH ELECTIONS.

Only the pathos between the lines saves-"the Irish election news from being grotesque. For nearly half a century Irishmen have fought for the opportunity to elect their own Parliament. Irishmen in untold numbers have died for the cause, yet when the opportunity has come the greater part of Ireland has treated it as Dead Sea fruit. Over the whole of Southern Ireland there is not to be a single contested election. The Sinn Fein party has secured practically all the nominations, and can, if it wishes, legally and constitutionally control and administer the southern part of Ireland- Whether this is the intention may be doubted. More probably the purpose is to leave Southern Ireland without a Parliament and to make it impossible for the Lord-Lieutenant and his committee of Privy Councillors to govern. There have been recent hopes of a better understanding, but these have passed, and Home Rule may be said to have begun in as black and depressing an atmosphere ascould well be imagined. There is this to be said, however, that the crisis may still be six months distant. The Parliaments will not likely be summoned immediately: they need not meet until the first week of December. ■' In the interval there is time .for negotiation and settlement, and it just possible that after the elections in the North a way may be found to put an end to the tragic warfare now in progress in Ireland. There are at least indications that the North is softening, and would waive a great deal that it holds sacred for the sake of peace. It remains to be seen what attitude may be adopted by the 120 Sinn Feiners who gained so easy an election on Friday.