South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-01-09


Dlete authority OF the Irish people.
10 IS go framed that moss Of the ma
tionalist Irishmen and all The mem
bers Of the Dau Eireann could ac-
cep- g. as an uuquestionable truism,
but according to the contention Of
DE Valera and his supporters accept
ance q the treaty Is aorOga-0n OF
that principle and .n the debate they
are expected 20 say so
Mr. DeValera's t.ltude with re-
gard 90 the republic ana the Dali is
that both must continue in being
until disestabushed by the Irish peo-
pie who set them up Normally
the transference OF the majority
from one side 20 the other would
involve a change IN the ministry.
and eventually Il The treaty is act
cd upon. the free state parliament
elected by the Irish people would
naturally replace the Dahl
Treaty Not Final.
But meanwhile 81 ~ considered ex-
tremelv improbable thai the Dali
viii dissolve Itself The majority
for the treaty included many who
expressed dislike for it and only ac-
cepted 60 as au alternative 10 war.
Practically all the members, in
Guiding Michael Collins. regulated
any hnality in the treaty.
on any motion framed on purely
republican principles lt Is not doubt
cd that De Valera would still COM
mand a majority Of the Dali. Though
Il was admitted on all sides during
the course OF debate that the great
majority Of Irish people favored
accepting the treaty and giving the
free state government a trial there
IS technically no machinery where
by the Dali could for the present be
replaced by an election. The Dali
owes It's existence 10 election by the
people under the terms OF the Brit
ish act of parliament which defined
the constituencies, allotted thels
numbers and prescribed proportion
al representation as the method Of
election
The intention Of the act, Of course.
was that the members so elected
should constitute the parliament Of
Southern Ireland under the Home
Rule act OF 1920. If that parliament
had even been constituted It could
hold elections any time IN accord
ence with the provisions Of the stat
ute. But ell the Sim Fein members
refused to attend the parliament, a
preliminary condition OF whose ex-
istence was an oath OF allegiance TO
the king and formed the Dali Fire
ann instead.
There IS thus none Of the custom
airy machinery for holding regular
elections BY the terms Of the trea-
" its ratification can only be effect
Cd. not by the Dali. but by meeting
OF the members elected 10 the
southern parliament. whether they
accepted that Office or not. There is
one member Of the Dali. who has sat
for a northern Ireland constituency
and four members for Trinity col
lege.
Under the treaty it is the function
Of the British government to sum
mon the ratifying body but all steps
IN that direction were postponed un-
I'll it should be seen from division
in the Dali Eireann whether it was
that the ratifying body viii be sum-
moned Immediately but it - not
known II the 81 composing members
VIII desire 20 attend Il is supposed
that their complete population of
the treaty may lead TO their absen-
tation in a body
De Valera Cheered.
Large crowds assembled outside
the Mansion house Sunday TO wit
ness the arrival Of Eamonn De Va
lera and his supporters i'm the Dali
Eireann. who met for a consultation
with regard TO the future. All the
well-known leaders who spoke
against the treaty were enthusiast
tically cheered.
Prior 20 the private meeting NIr.
DE Valera fin his drawing room. jim the
presence of the newspapermen re-
ceived an Illuminated address voted
him Dec. OF by convention rep
resentng $4,000 members of the
Hibernian Catholic Benefit societies
in Australia The presentation was
made by the Rev. Or. O'ReiIIy. who
said the feeling iu Australia when he
left that country was altogether re-
publican for ireland. and that ne was
certain great disappoiu-ucnt would
be felt IL IL had not been found pos
sible 20 secure an m.auus led Irish
republic
Mr.. De Valera iu reply to DR.
O'ReIly said the frh- of ireland had
inspired the world. The Irish self
determination league had been
founded on The principle u free de-