Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-02-17
British Colonial
Secretary Urges
Election in Ireland

London, Feb. 16. (By A. PIN
moving the second reading Of the
Irish Free State bill in the House Of
Commons today, Winston Spencer
Churchill, secretary for the colonies,
laid stress on the necessity Of giving
effect to the treaty by clothing the
provisional government, as the treaty
provided, with lawful powers and en-
abling it to hold an election at the
earliest moment.
1T is the view of the Irish sigma
tories Of the treaty." he said, that
an Irish republic had been set I'D by
the Irish people at the elections and
that the republic could only be con-
verified into n free state by the deci-
sion of the people. We don't recog-
nize the Irish republic, and never
WILL
Objects Of the proposed election.
added the secretary, were to secure
an adequate constituent assembly
and fresh normal, and IL may
say so. sensible parliment in Ireland
or the present Irish parliament MI.
Churchill declared that it was not
chosen because Of the fitness of its
members to govern, but because they
were thought to be most obnoxious to
Great Britain and men who hated
England most. The Irish minister
must know where he stood. Some
people felt they had waited too long
already. but in any case the sooner
an election was held the better. The
success of De Valera at the election
ne characterized as IAN ugly hypoth-
csis."
1T is perfectly clear that the re-
pudiation of the treaty by Ireland
would free all parties from their en-
gagements," the secretary continued.
and the position of Britain. standing
on the treaty and ready to carry il
out II others were found on behalf
o. the Irish nation to do their part.
would be a position of great moral as
well as undoubted material strength.
In any case" added the secretary
ut would be a pity for n, 70 20
threatening and clustering at this
stage and give the impression that
the irish people were being made to
vote under duress or at the point of
the bayonet. II this were INDUCED in
II could afterward be stated that the
vote had been given under dures.
tending to impair the authority of
the decision
Abiding to the report of 4 coup
etat to overturn the provisional
soVernmest. Mr.. Churchill said:
Ihere are those who think the
present Irish government may be
overthrown by a coup d'etat. and a
req soviet government set uD. The
brltlsh government does not think
that at all likely, but if it we're it /.
quite clear that soviet republic
would ruin the Irish cause for a hum
urea years while not in any respect
llnpH he foundation Of the Brit
ish Empire of the security of Ulster.
NO people really are less likely to
turn bolshevik than the Irish"
lie thought the bill would be pass
ca Wlthm the next month that Irish
election would be held in March orr
April. that the free state parliament
would assemble and formulate a con-
s,itltion, probably in May or June. !
ana then final confirmation in the
imperial parliamen in June or July.
lie admitted there was some doub.
on the strict words of the treaty,
whether the period Of option allowing
lister to come into the treaty begins
with the passage of the present bill
or dates from the final confirmatorv
act OF the imperial parliament.
The Right Honorable Sir Freder-
lex Banbury, Unionist interiected
Everybody in Ireland will be dead
by then; they will have killed each
other"
linen our task. will be greatly
slmpilhed,' responded Mr.. Church
i'll.