Evening star., 1922-06-11
FATE OF IRELAND
HANGS ON ELECTION
Coming Week Called Most
Momentous in All Erin'S
History.
VOTING SET FOR FRIDAY
England Profoundly Interested, as
Anglo-Irish Treaty Is at
., Stake.
BY A. G. GARDNER.
R-,taip,. Noted Liberal Editor.

Brttain's Noted Liberal Editor.
speci.l Wireless Dispatch to The Star. Copy
right 1922.
LONDON. June 10-The outlook IN
Ireland is desperate. The coming
week will be the most momentous In
Irish history. Next Friday the hrst
general election in the Irish Free
State is to be held. Upon the result
depends the fate of the treaty with
Great Britain. England awaits de-
velopments with profound anxiety
Apart from the inconsiderable BODY
OF the "die hards,' represented o9
the Morning Post, English opinion
overwhelmingly is desirous or a
peaceful issue 1t accepted the treaty
as belated deliverance from
struggle of which it has grown
ashamed. and will ratify it. If possi-
BILE. with relief and Thanksgiving.
If the Irish people could give a
free verdict. undoubtedly the treaty
would be safe. They want peace the
same as the English. and are satls-
fed that the treaty lays founoatloh
for peace. But the terrible events
of mast wears has raised the spirit
of anarchy in their midst. The fear
of this terrorism is the reason why
Collins made his pact with De valera
for an agreed election. collins Sood
faith is unquestioned, but the com
pact with De Valera. who repudiates
the treaty, denies the Irish poople
the liberty freely to declare their
opinion on the treaty and the pro-
posed constitution. Discussions are
proceeding in London between the
British government and representa-
tives of the Irish provisional GOV
eminent on the subject of the draft
of the constitution. If it keeps with
in the treaty. will De Valera accept
IL? If not, what follows the agreed
election between two balanced parties
which disagree on the vital issue?
Contests In 20 Districts.
The pact has partly collapsed. There
Is prospect of contests in twenty out
of twenty seven of the member con-
stituencies into which the Free State
is divided. Independent candidates
representing labor and the farmers.
have been nominated to oppose the
Collins and De Valera candidates. In
Dublin the lord mayor stands lnde-
pendently as supporter or the
treaty. But grave concern prevails as
TO possible developments between
charged with electricity and the fear
of violence is acute. If the independ-
ent candidates poll a substantial ma
jority the mischief of the pact Is
minimized because for the most part
they are definitely pro-treaty. or II
they are freely elected the new par
lament should be assured a balance
on the side of peace. But nothing can
be forecast and it is significant that
while De Valera has a walkoVer IN
Glare, Collins is opposed In county
Cork.
Meanwhile the storm in Ulster is
brewing apace. Belfast is the con-
slant theater of battle between
Protestants and Catholics and the
slaughter is serious. The provocation
here undoubtedly came from the
Orangemen. who drove the Catholics
out of the shipyards. No effective
measures have been taken by the
Ulster government to protect the MI
nority and there is a feeling that the
policy pursued is deliberately di-
rected to intensity mutual passions
and compel the British government
to recant its pacific policy and throw
over the treaty on the ground thatl'
to the old task of reconquering Ire
land.
Anarchy MenacinE Factor.
No other construction can be placed
upon the provocative proceedings In
Ulster and the demand for British
troops. Carson'S elevation to the 1u-
dicial bench robbed Ulstermen of
hero and leader, but a new hero
emerged in the sinister person OF Gen;
Sir Henry Wilson, whom Lloyd
George made chief of staff during the
war He is an Orangeman of the ex-
tremist type and a militarist who
SCOTS at peace anywhere. He is as
dangerous as he is able. and his entry
into the British parliament has given
less figurehead, around whom every
influence sworn to destroy the Free
State gathers.
There would be no reason to fear
this If things we're going well In the
Free State. But anarchy there plays
into the hands of the Ulster con-
spiracy. 1t makes the English public
lose confidence in a settlement and
swings the moderate opinion into the
Ulster scale.
What of the British government? 1t
has staked everything on the treaty
and undoubtedly wishes to make 1t
success. But the rank and file of the
tory party still is anti-home rule. re-
sentful of the settlement and ready
TO destroy il. / think, undoubtedly,
Lloyd George will fight hard to defeat
the attempt to involve him in a re-
conquest OF ireland. his volatile ca
reer has brought him around again
to liberalism. He is busy making his
peace with his old followers. 1t is
Impossible to say where he will be six
months hence, for the career of po-
litical opportunist always is incalcu-
liable.
But at the moment 1t would suit his
political book to smash the tory party
as he smashed the liberal party. For
this reason we may rely on him fight
ing his hardest to. save the treaty. In
this he will be backed by the mass OF
English opinion. But the issue Is
with the Irish themselves. They can
save the treaty if they want to save
1t.