GENERAL ELECTION IN IRELAND.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17755, 16 September 1927, Page 9

GENERAL ELECTION IN IRELAND.

Mr Cosgrave’s Peace Points.

CLEAR MAJORITY SOLICITED. By Cable—Press AssocinMcn— Oopyrlebt. Australian nnd N.Z. Cable Association. (Received September 15, 7.35 p.m.) LONDON, .September 15. To-day the citizens of the Free State choose 149 members of the Dail, from 260 candidates. The result, owing to the proportional representation system, will not be known for several days. Mr C'osgrave asks for a clear decision and a bigger poll. There are no signs of a bigger poll, unless the seeming indifference of the people covers a grim determination to vote. Mr Cosgrave has issued ten points, on which he is prepared to meet his opponents with peace and reconciliation as follows: Voluntary submission to the will of the people; p Balancing of the National Budget; Single discipline of the Army, subject to the control of Parliament; An efficient police force; The collection of all arms, from persons unauthorised to possess them, independent of tho judiciary; Entrance to the civil service by merit only ; No truce with crime of any description ; Peace at home and abroad; The fulfilment of all pledges, national and international. in reply to Mr de Valera, who argued that the Treaty was accepted on the assumption that it was merely a stepping-stone to greater freedom, Mr Blythe said: “if I could turn the Free State into a Republic to-morrow, I would not lift a finger to do it. We have all the powers and liberties required for the people of this country.

FALSE ACCUSATION. LORD BEAVERBROOIvS DISCLAIMER. By Cabla —Press Asiociatitn—Copyright. Australian nnd N.Z. Cable Association. (Received September 15, 7.0 p.m.) LONDON, September 15. Lord Beaverbrook informed the London editor of the Irish Independent, that there was not a single word of truth in tho statement that he contributed directly or indirectly to Irish political funds.

MR DE VALERA’S NEW GUISE

SOME INTERESTING QUESTIONS. By Cable—Proas Association —Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, September 14. In view of cables from Archbishop Mannix, commending Mr de Valera’s earlier election policy, special interest attaches to Mr de Valera’s new guise of constitutionalist, especially his virtual abandonment of the June declaration that Ulster must he punished for persisting in maintaining independence Tho most piquant incidont of the campaign was furnished by Mr de Valera’s answers to a series of questions submitted by Mr E. P. Culverwell, Senior Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. In the first place he asked: “Does ‘punishing' mean economic war?” Mr do Valera replied that h© really meant that the Free Staters must look after their own interests. This is regarded as a veiled hint of tariff action. Mr do Valera added that there was no power to force Ulster in, and there could not be war against Ulster while England was backing tier. Furthermore, he was more concerned with Irish interests than English. They could not force English warships to quit Irish ports, but they did not consent to occupation. In this connection Mr Culverwell asked: “Would Mr de Valera resort to force to expel the warships ” The general impression is that Mr Cosgrave’s chances have improved, especially as the farmers have decreed that their second preferences should bo cast in favour of Mr Cosgrave’s followers.