The Daily News WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1933. THE IRISH ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1933, Page 6

The Daily News

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1933. THE IRISH ELECTION.

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The Irish Free State electorate has made its choice, and its wellwishers will hope that in doing so it has taken the road towards peace and greater prosperity. The electorate has supported Mr. E. de Valera, who stands for the independence of the Free State from all formal association with the British Empire, and he will require all the statesmanship of which he is capable if he is to bring about complete satisfaction of Irish national aims while keeping faith with treaty undertakings. Although Mr. de Valera has not obtained an absolute majority over all other parties, he has, with the alliance of the Labour group, a majority of 16, and so far the. Labour members of the Dail have been prepared to support the de Valera view of the relationships of the Free State towards Great Britain. With the added power given him by the electorate Mr. de Valera must also accept added responsibility. The result of the election is proof that material arguments do not always sway a people. Mr. de Valera appealed to national pride to accept all the hardships which a breach with England must entail, and to do so in the hope that Irish people could recreate a nation self-contained and selfsufficing. His opponent, Mr. W. T. Cosgrave, pleaded for the observance of agreements made, and pointed to the parlous conditions of the Free State’s finances as the result of a tariff war with its best customer, the United Kingdom. The election proved once more that “man does not live by bread alone.” Judged by material standards it seemed as though the Irish Free State had everything to win by following Mr. Cosgrave’s lead. On the contrary, the appeal of a visionary has received the greatest response, and for good or evil the electorate must accept the responsibility of its action. Mr. de Valera has now the harder task of reducing ideals to practical measures which will ensure peace and prosperity. Remembrance of historical grievances may be very useful as election ammunition, but Mr. de Valera and his colleagues must recollect that even the winning of an election will not abrogate the principle that for the Irish Free State, or any other country, reliance upon its promised word is imperative if respect and progress are to be attained. They must remember, too, that if the spirit of complete independence of Great Britain is uppermost in Southern Ireland, the contrary view is held in the State of Northern Ireland. . Irishmen there are proud of being citizens of an important part of the Empire, and they have reiterated their determination to retain

such citizenship whenever the opportunity of expressing national sentiment has been afforded them. If Mr. de Valera pleads the voice of the electors in the Irish Free State as justifying an alteration in the relationship between that Dominion and the Crown then he must admit that the people of Northern Ireland can claim with equal justification that,, the relations with which they are entirely satisfied must remain undisturbed The programme of domestic policy of which Mr. de Valera has given a few sketches seems to contain little to raise friction between Great Britain and. the Irish Free State; Whether it is likely to lead to the prosperity of Southern Ireland is another matter, and one upon which forecast- is impossible until the details of the. programme are made available. Mr. de Valera has shown that he can kindle enthusiasm and attract a following, he can add to those leadership the virtues, of steadi ness, plain speaking and honest dealing he will dispel much of the uneasiness which his election triumph has engendered.