Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-09
Still Much Doubt
Continued from Page Orc)


Mr.. De Nalera's suspended rcsgna-
ton must be debated at tomorrow's
meeting of the Dali. The inconsst-
cncy in his declaration however,
puzzled all commentators, but Art
O'Brien, president of the self de-
termination league Of Great Britain.
who, though not member of tho
Dali, has been privileged during
the debate to sit among the members
and who is in closest touch and SYM
pathy DE Valera, informed The AS
sociatcd Press today that his inter
probation is that MIR. De Valera Will
resign the presidency and retire to
private life only when lie has con-
solidatcd the republican position.
The task Of the now provisional
government, faced by opposition from
old republican colleagues will be OK
tremely difficult Some Of the dcpu-
tics including Miss MacSwincy. have
frankly declared their intention to
act from the outset as rebels against
the provisional government.
4. 1t is taken for granted that the
provisional government will certain
ly include both Arthur Griffith and
Michael Collins. There associates
are less clearly marked out, but
among the members OF the Dali
cabinet. supporting them is William
CoSgraVe, minister Of local govern
ment. who by universal consent is an
administrator of rare ability, more
skilled in the duties of government
than any of his colleagues.
1t will be a nice problem for the
minister of the new provisional gov
eminent to determine how far they
will use the existing machinery of
the British government officials in
Ireland and how far they will be
able to rely upon the cooperation of
the machine which they constructed
for themselves in conflict with those
officials. Under any circumstances
the transition period which must in
teryene before the free state govern
ment and it's executives can be legal
~ constituted will be time of great
difficulty. That difficulty will be en-
ormously increased if the new minis
try is obliged at the same time to re-
sist AN attack from the surviving re-
public ministry.
The Dali tomorrow will consider
resolution on general terms proposed
by Speaker MacNeill, affirming Ire
lands sovereign status and the COM
picte authority of the Irish people.
1t is so framed that most of the ma
tionalst Irishmen and all the menu
bers of the Dali Eireann could ac-
ccpt ii as an unquestiOnable truism,
but according to the contention of
De Valera and his supporters. ac-
ceptance of the treaty is abrogation
of that principle, and in the debate
they are expected to say so.
Mr.. De Valcra's attitude with re-
gard to the public in the Dali Is that
both must continue in being until
disestablished by the Irish people,
who set them UP. Normally the
transference of the majority from
enc side to the other will involve "a
change in the ministry and event
ually, if the treaty is acted upon. the
free state parliament acted by the
Irish people would naturally replace
the Dali.
But meanwhile it is considered ex-
tremely improbable that the Dali
will dissolve itself. The majority for
the treaty included many who cx-
pressed dislike for it and only ac-
cepted 1t as an alternative to war.
Practically all the members, includ-
ing Michael Collins, repudiated any
finality in the treaty.
On any motion framed on purely
republican principles it is not doubted
that De Valera would still command
a majority in the Dali. Though It
was admitted on all sides during the
course of the debate that the great
majority of the Irish people favored
accepting the treaty and giving the
free state government q trial. there
is technically no machinery whereby
the Dali could for the present be re-
placed by them at an election. The
Dali owes its existence to election by
the people under the terms OF the
British act Of parliament which de-
fined the constituencies. allotted their
numbers and prescribed proportional