IRELAND’S NEW CONSTITUTION

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20464, 2 April 1938, Page 16 (Supplement)

IRELAND’S NEW CONSTITUTION

Mr de Valera’s Hopes for a Sovereign, Independent, Democratic State

From a Correspondent. LONDON, Dec. 30. Southern Ireland's new Constitution •anna into force this morning. The Mah Free State, as it has been known •*e» since the Treaty of 1921, disi pi users and Ireland comes to life. Jest “Ireland,” or "Eire,” as they aaU it in official language. Of course, whatever the language and provisions of the new Constitution, the self-governing status of Northern Ireland actually remains unaffected by them. Ireland, in the words of the Constitution, is a “sovereign, independent, democratic State.” “In All But Name.” Toei will notice that there is no mention of anything but “Ireland,” or “Eire.” Nothing is said about “Republic,” for instance. But the majority of people regard the new order of things as making Ireland a republic in all but name. Not the whole of Ireland acknowledges the one Government. But in the new Constitution Mr de Valera has done the next best thing. He has declared that the national territory includes all of Ireland, its islands, and territorial seas. The King is not mentioned in the new Constitution. The President that Ireland is to have—not the kind of President which the term has connoted when applied all these years to Mr de Valera but a supreme, aboveparty head of the State—will take over ell the functions of an executive In Ireland itself. He will be subject to checks; some say that his role will be chiefly ornamental. that of a flgure-head—but the significant thin* i* that he will supersede the Governor-General, traditional representative of the British connection. It is an equivocal position that Ireland now finds herself in; it puzzles even many an Irishman. For external purposes the King is recognised as the symbol of the unity of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Ireland wants to stay in the Empire, and this is her way of doing it. A lot of people in Ireland say: “You can’t be a republic here and recognise the King of England and the British Commonwealth But that is what Ireland officially hopes to do. The King, on the advice of his Irish Minister, who presumably will b«» Mr de Valera, unless and until the poll? reverse political fortunes, will still ratify such external relations as the appointment of Irish representatives ibroad and the arrangement of inter-

national agreements. Obviously there is no parallel for the situation in the history of the Empire. Abolition of the Oath. Ireland has a national flag, a tri- j colour of green, white, and orange. • , It will be much in evidence to-day at the Dublin ceremonials which mark j t the coming of the new* order of things, t A flag is the symbol of nationhood. ' The showing of the flag to-day is Ireland’s declaration of at least coequality as a State with all the countries of the British Commonwealth. Mr de Valera promised, when he was returned to power:— To abolish the Oath of Allegiance > to the English Crown; To keep “at home” the Land Ant nuities and other payments formerly 1 made to Great Britain unless the Brit- : t Ish Government made good Its olalm ! 1 to them before an international arbi- ! tration court; To destroy the Senate; i To abolish the office of Governor- I 1 General; * To scrap the existing Constitution; I ‘ and To achieve a position in which Ireland should be a republic “in all but p name.” J Well, there is to be a Senate, but * ! everything else seems to have come - off. ' 1 j The abolition of the Oath was the * big stroke from Mr de Valera’s point p of view. The squabble over the Land * Annuities was subsidiary*, but it kept the pot of “independence” boiling. p Under the new Constitution the new * President—Mr de Valera will be p known in future as “Taoiseach,” which ‘ ; is equal in Irish to “Leader,” “Fuh- * rer” or “Duce" must be elected withh in 180 days of the regime’s coming into force. Who Will Be President? I Who will be Ireland’s President? f The name of Count Taaffe has been * mentioned. I understand, however, f that his prospects are not considered very seriously, but that the “fight” „ is likely to bo between Mr Sean T. O’Kelly, Vice-President of the Executive Council, and Alderman Alfred „ l Byrne, Lord Mayor of Dublin for the I past seven years. I am told that unless the Cosgrave r Party and the Labour Party introduce ? candidates and split the vote, Alderfi man Byrne is a "certainty.” e j Mr O’Kelly will be Mr de Valera’s p nominee, so, if Alderman Byrne wins, .. Mr de Valera will be disappointed.