The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1922-01-20
ERIN, FREE STATE
NOW IN OPERATION
Provisional Government Es-
tabIished, De Valera
Absent.

Dublin, Jan. 14.-The provision
al government of the Irish Free Stat,
Is now functioning body.
Final formalities OF approving th'
treaty with England were carried
out late this afternoon when, after
IN historic meeting in the Mansion
House of representatives of the
Southern Irish constituencies, who
formally ratified the treaty, canon
j. Dugan took to Dublin Castle a
copy Of the treaty signed by the
members of, the new government, as
provided for in the terms of the
peace pact.
Fifty-fve members elected to sit
in the House of Commons in South
ern Ireland attended the morning
meeting. No women representatives,
nor any other adherents to canon
de Valera, former Republican presi-
dent, were present.
First on the list of eight men ap-
peared as constituting the pro-
vlsional government is the name OF
Michael Collins, and it is assumed
he will be made the nominal head.
AS matter of fact. however, the
correspondent is authoritatively in
formed that Arthur Griffith, as
president of the Dali Eireann and
chairman of the delegation that ne
gotiated the treaty, will be looked to
as its supreme authority. The po
sition of Mr.. Griffith is one of pc
culiar difficulty.
In De Valera's Position.
As. president of the Dail-that is,
the Irish republic-he occupies the
same position as did Mr. de Valera.
and during the debates on the treaty
in the Dali Miss Mary MacSwiney
and Eraklne Childers demanded that
he keep his two officers of Republi-
can president and head of the new
administration perfectly distinct.
Miss MacSwiney, Mr.. Childers and
others of the Republican party also
stressed the necessity of keeping the
Irish Republican Parliament under
the authority only of the Dali
Eireann. It is regarded as significant,
therefore. that neither Mr.. Griffith
nor Richard Mulcahy, the Dail's new
minister of defence, has a nominal
place in the new administration. The
ministers appointed to administer the
provisional government include,with
two or three exceptions, all the men,
bers of Mr.. Griffith's Republican
cabinet. There is no room in the
provisional government for the min
lister of foreign affairs, George Gavan
Duffy. because foreign affairs are
outside its scope. : But Mr.. Collins,
Mr.. Dugan and William T. Co.'S
gave, as we'll as other departmental
heads in the Republican govern
ment, will head the departments in
the provisional administration.
William Deroisite Liam Roisite).
chairman of the meeting which rati-
fed the treaty. made it plain that
the assembly had no existance- as
parliament. He pointed out that 1t
had never met before and would
never meet again. Accordingly, as
there will be no future meeting to
which the minutes of the proceed
ings could be submitted, the minutes
were prepared on the spot. read to
the meeting and adopted.
To Suppress Dali.
The speech made by Mr.. Griffith
at the meeting contemplated the
complete suppression of tie Dali
upon the election of free state
The drafting of a constitution viii
be the most important task of the
government. Constitu-
tional lawyers here and perhaps in
England probably will be called in TO
assist. DuDllu CdotlS dulhoihiNS SN' !
the British government will be glad
TO lend its experts to help in framing
the instrument. The feeling in DUB
lin is highly optimistic and cheerful
This was evidenced today in the atti-
tude of the auxiliaries, who drove
thru the streets singing and waving
their hats. Pedestrians generally
greeted them with amusement ana
without any sign of resentment.
The lorries the cadets are now
using are the same as those in which
their repressive operations were con-
Quoted last winter, and which used
to bristle with revolvers, rifles and
machine guns. This once dreaded
corps is being collected from all
parts of the country into Beggar's
Bush barracks. which for the next
week will serve as a clearing depot,
from which they will be sent to Eng
land.