The Washington times., 1922-10-11
By HAYDEN TALBOT.
Copyright. 1879. New York American.)
CHAPTER XX-SECTION 3.

CHAPTER XX-SECTION 3.
Concerning the future welfare of
ireland, Michael Collins briefly out
lined to me the aims Of the Free
State government. He said:
Mr.. de Valera, in a speech he
made in February. warned the peo-
pie of ireland against a life Of ease,
against living practically the life Of
beasts which. he fears. they may
be tempted to do under the Free
State,
THE chance that materiaiism will
take possession of the Irish people il
no more likely in a free Ireland
under the Free State than 1t would
be in a free Ireland under a Repub.
lican or any other form Of govern.
ment. 1t is in the hand of the Irish
people themselves.
I'm the ancient days of Gaelic
civilization the people were prosper
Gus and they were not materialists.
They were one Of the most spiritual
and one of the most intellectual peo-
pies in Europe. When Ireland was
swept by destitution and famine the
spirit of the Irish people came most
nearly to extinction.
"It was with the improved eco
nomic conditions of the last twenty
years or more that 1t has reawaken-
ed. The insistent needs Of the body
more adequately satisfied. the people
regained desire once more to reach
out to the higher things in which
81 ~l,,1s Ntafa
The New Ireland.
What we hope for in the new
Ireland is to have such material well
fare as will give the Irish spirit that
freedom.
I'VE want such widely diffused
prosperity that the Irish people will
not be crushed by destitution into liv-
ing practically the lives of beasts.
They were so crushed during the
British occupation that they were
described as being without the com.
forts of an English SOW They must
not be obliged-owing to unsound
economic conditions-to spend all
their powers of both mind and body
in an effort to satisfy the bodily
needs alone.
The uses of wealth are to pro-
vide good health. comfort. moderate
luxury, and to give the freedom
which comes from the possession Of
these things.
"Our object in building up the
country economically must not be
lost sight Of. That object Is not to
be able to boast of enormous wealth.
nor of a great volume of trade-for
their own sake. 1t Is not to see our
country covered with smoking Chin
neys and factories. 1t Is not to be
able to show a great national balance
sheet nor to point to a people pro.
ducing wealth with the self oblitera-
ton of a hive of bees The real rich
es of the Irish nation will be the men
and women of the Irish nation-the
extent to which they are rich in body
and mind and character.
What the future holds in store for
Ireland Is the opportunity for every
one to be able to produce sufficient
wealth to insure these advantages
for themselves. That such wealth
can be produced in Ireland there can
be no doubt.
I'VE have now the opportunity to
make our land indeed fruitful, to
work up our national resources, 10
bring prosperity to all our people.
"If our national economy is to be
on a sound footing from the begin
ming it will. in the new Ireland. be
possible for our people to provide
themselves with the ordinary require.
ments OF decent living. 1t will be
possible for each one to have suffi-
cient food. a good home in which to
live in fair contentment and COM
fort.
I'VE shall be able to give our chill
dren bodily and mental health, and
we shall be able to secure them
against the inevitable times of sick
ness and old age.
THAT must be our object. What
we must aim at Is the building up
Of a sound economic life in which
| great discrepancies cannot occur.
| We must not have the destitution
Of poverty at one end. and at the
other an excess of riches in the pos.
session Of a few individuals beyond
what they can spend with satisfac.
ton and justification.
! The growing wealth Of Ireland
will, We hope. be diffused for the
benefit of all of our people. all shar.
!ng in the growing prosperity; each
receiving in accordance with what
each contributes in the making of
that prosperity. so that the veal OF
all will be assured.
How are we to increase the wealth
Of Ireland, and insure that all pro.
ducing ii shall share in It? That ia
the question which will be engaging