Evening star., 1921-05-24
IRISH FIRE SHOTS
IN ELECTION RUSH
Stones and Bricks Also Fly as
Polling Places Are
Opened.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the ASsoria ted Press
BELFAST, May oi.-Elections for
the new parliamentS in Ireland under
the Irish home rule bill were carried
out throughout Ireland today. but
only in the north of Ireland were
ballots cast. as the nominations for
the southern Irish parliament were
made without contest. which was tan
tamount to election.
Ulster was astir early this morning
to vote Tor the members of it's new
paftlament under the system Of pro-
portional representation, which few
here Will confess they understand.
The streets of Belfast were awake a
full hour before the accustomed time
Motor cars, horse and jaunting cars
and the humble donkey-drawn cart
moving from one side of the city to
the other with voters, both men and
women
Polling Places Crowded.
The people had been appealed to by
their leaders to vote early to pre-
vent personation," and at most Of the
polling booths crowds were waiting at
s. am. the opening hour. For either
side to bring in personators would
not be difficult. as in such districts
as Ballymacarret the naticnalists will
not even have watchers. as they say
1t would be suicide for any Of their
number TO enter the polling booths
there. The unionists. on the other
hand. would not feel comfortable in
Falls road. although there were pIen-
ty of police and military there to pro-
tect them.
Counting Of the votes will not
commence until o'clock Wednesday v
morning and will continue until s
O'Clock in the evening, at which time
it will be adjourned until Thursday.
1t is possible the Belfast results will
be known Wednesday night, but the
others will not be in for several
days. There are fifty-three nollinr
divisions. with 3S8 polling stations, in
Belfast alone.
Bricks and Stones Fly.
Even Belfast. accustomed to hot no.
litical fights, has never seen such an
election morning as this Thus far
the polls ahead of opponents than a
stand-up battle. but this rush led
to some incidents. especially in the
Cork street and Old Lodge area, near
the docks. AS soon as the military
were withdrawn from the streets at
s o'clock this morning. when the cur
few ended. the rival factions appeared
at the doors Of their homes with their
womenfolk to proceed to the polls
Bricks and stones commenced to fly
across the streets and d few shots
were fired before the police arrived
to disperse the disputants. One con-
stable was seriously injured by being
hit with a brick.
Donegal Pass. one of the polling
stations for unionists in West Belfast,
was crowded hours before the time
for voting by nationalsts. Another
Of Of oH M.
side. thus blocking the way to their
opponents. This occurred in many
places. and it was evident much per-
sonation was going on.
One woman who arrived at poll
ing station half an hour after it
opened found her vote had already
been cast.
Many Child Voters.
There also were large number of
child voters. whose votes could not be
refused They ranged in age from a
chile. of two and a half years. who
was just able to lisp, II vote for
Moles,' an candidate in South Belfast
seventeen years of age.
All licensed public houses were
closed, and all fairs and markets ar
ranged for today were postponed. The
POLLS will close in most districts at 8
o'clock tonight. but in few they
will remain open an hour longer.
Pleads for Union Jack.
Electioneering. which had been en-
thusiastic from the very beginning
of the campaign. reached a culminat-
ing point yesterday, when Sir James
Craig. premier designate for Ulster.
issued an appeal to members of the
unionist party to Fly the union jack
AS a result of his appeal. virtually
every unionist house in Belfast dis
played the British flag last night.
even the sidewalks ard lampposts
being brilliant with the British colors.
. The nationalist. who adopted as
their slogan the cry of No partition"
have fought hard battle. and Jo-
seph Deylin has led his party in ad-
, dressing meetings throughout the
counties where voting took place to-
day. Women took an active part in
the campaign, holding demonstrations
and canVaSsing voters.