Evening star., 1922-03-14
ny FORREST DAVIS.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
DUBLIN, Ireland, February 13.-The
Irish business man today Is in much
the position of a gentleman who, hav-
Ting outdistanced an angry bull in one
field sees another steer, whose inten-
tions .he cannot make out. between
him and the open road.
He Is glad that the chase by bull
No. is ended and the wall of safety
has been reached, and he is optimistic.
If not cheerful, about his prospects
with bull No. ..
The Industrial and trading interests
of Ireland have Just emerged from a
disquieting period During "the trou
BILE" they were harassed by restricted
i buying, imperfect transport and the
multitudinous obstacles to commerce
in q warning land. IL
Now that the country is making its
first try at self government, business
is relieved of one burden. but there
| whether the political experiment will
succeed in checking disorder and
| working out satisfactory financial
policies Beyond that. and further
complicating the situation, is the
question of whether labor will be
help or a hindrance in the economic
! reconstruction of the country.
| Irish business men are hopeful and
desperately loyal to the Free State.
About that latter statement there can
be. no doubt. The elderly managing
directors who settle world affairs
nightly in the Kildare Street Club are
for Arthur Griffith and Michael Col
Inns to man. although before the
| treaty to vote anything but unionist
marked member for ostracism. The
small Irish manufacturer and mer-
chant cannot outdo the Kildare Street
ers In sincere loyalty to the new
| regime.
Il Grimth Makes Strong Appeal.
Griffith appeals strongly to busi-
| ness. He is set down as safe man."
| a man who can be trusted not to
tamper with the social and industrial
! systems to the hurt of the for
tunately placed. His radicalism has
confined itself to politics. But far
/ above any personal considerations.
! the unionist business interests OF
because they realize they are going
to have to live under its rule, and
| to be hostile would be hazardous. AS
| for the other element. the nationalist
| business men, they are for home rule
because a republic is impossible of
! settled as quickly as possible.
Opinions on the economic copse-
Quences of independence vary with
| the individual expressing them, and
are dictated largely by his desires.
| Sir James Percy, for instance, the
proprietor of the Irish Builder and
| Engineer, Motor News and the Irish
Motorcyclist, and largely interested
4 in diverse Irish enterprises. says:
ireland will blossom like the
rose now that the trouble is over and
we will have our own government"
He was a unionist and received his
title for successful recruiting mis-
sion conducted in Ireland for the Brit
ish navy during the war.
Prof. W. A. s. Hewins Of Trinity
College. an economist, on the other
hand, sees breakers ahead. as witness:
Must Meet New Conditions.
There has been SO much senti-
mental talk about the Irish agree
ment that the business aspects are al
most entirely ignored. But banks. in
Isurance companies, industrial COM
ipanfes, agricultural, railway and ship
ping interests will be obliged to make
new arrangements to meet the new
conditions. At present they do not
seem to realize that the economic
Iunity of the United Kingdom is about
erations of craftsmanship undone."
The professor goes on, in an article
appearing in the Irish Times, to de-
scribe the numerous functions the
1
government. Thus, he says:
The free state will be able to
| make its own commercial treaties, ir
| respective of Great Britain.
The free state will have complete
control of it's trade relations, in
ternally' with north Ireland, and ex-
! ternally with Great Britain and 9TH
i er countries, and of navigation, in
! Guiding merchant shipping. =
The free state will have complete
~c
ton. The free state will have
it's own coinage, it's own legal tender,
it's own negotiable instruments (in-
cluding bank notes), its own stand
, ard of weights and measures.
The free state will have it's own law
chandise marks, copyright and patent
! rights"
| Small wonder that commerce. view
ing that imposing list of government
contracts to be transferred to the
free state, is uneasy.
Middle View Is Cited.
But there is middle view between
the extreme optimism of Sir James
and the dolefulness of Prof Hewins.
! 1t was given ready expression by Sir
Thomas Power, head of Ireland s
largest distillery, and until recently
a director in the Bank of ireland. the
islands most imposing financial in
stitution.
"Ireland's future is bright" ne told
me. "No one can prophesy how long
the reconstruction will take. 1t may
be one year, it, may be ten, but We
may be assured that this country, so
rich in resources. will not be fallow
for long. Business will have ad-
| vantages from a wise Irish govern
, ment in Dublin. The government
will be close to us: we can lay our
| conditions before it quickly and read
lily, and not be compelled to carry
our case to London before an often
times disinterested body"
Much the same opinion was voiced
by Andrew Jameson, president of
the Dublin Chamber Of Commerce.
and by John Good. a building con-
tractor. and recently elected presi-
dent of the Federation of Building
Trades Employers of Great Britain
and Ireland.
Both these men believe that SO far
as government Is able to stimulate
and conserve business the new order
will be beneficial, chiefly because a
Dublin parliament will be more So
licitous of Irish prosperity than q
| Westminster one. Mr.. Good is fear
full that Irish labor, which is quite
powerful and rather contemptuous- Of
property rights may get out Of hand
w r Y V