New-York tribune., 1922-02-19
Test of Vote
For Irela1ld's
Status Coming
p
Country Seething With Argu-
ment Over Election Six
Weeks Away; De Valera
Opens Republicans Fight
Three Big Issues Loom
Situation in Ulster Becomes
of Secondary Interest as
Factions i'll South Clash
BY Arthur S. Draper
&pcc.cl cable 20 The T,.,hy,,c

'Ht'sN1 tOlt 70 nc .r.CLtfc
Copyright. ,9:c Nc-y Yoris 'rribuns IN,
DUBLIN, Feb. Witpin six weeks
this country viii hold the most mo-
mcntcus election in its long and trou-
hled history. Three groups in south
crA ireland are hoping to win suprem-
acy i" TIC coming test With bai,otr.
The IRISH people will be asked short
y 70 choose between the establishment
Of The Free State or the rcsumptio:
Of hostilities With England. The cam
paigna have already opened, De Valera
having Nrcd BIS opening gun here a
"eek ago lie appears to-rorro,v in
Cork. Nferc tac republican movement
Is strongest and There partv differ
ences arc 50 intens, tiiat old friends
arc now as widely separated a. the
lrish and English hare oeeu Tor gcnor-
at;ona.
While De Valera is holding hi; great
rally in Cow; john liiiroy, q lncnbcr
OF she pa;! Liceann and an oldtimo
politician. will s1art q pro treaty cam
Qaign IN tie north.
FROM now unit! the Gsy OF election
!"o9t members o. the provisional gov
eminent reluctantly Will forsakc their
autics Of state and dcvote their crc~-
s:cs to 4 s.unip:ls campaign thsi for
nlSternc3a aud downright Ierccncss
YIN vial even the most bitter in the
history Of Ireland. The climax vii.
come II April.
HiX Test OH Tuesday
TO a., outsider it seems as # ireland
7'usl go overwhelmingly for thc Tvcc
state. DIT then Ireland rarely does
anything obvious. The pro-treaty crowt!
is making strong claims. but SO 60 the
Republicans.
TIE first rca, test comes Tuesday,
when the srd I'he;s or general as
sembly OF The Sim Vein meets to rc-
Tlse Use the con9ti;vtion. Delegates num-
BERN. 500 vii! come With irstruc-
tons to support c;thcr Grifith and
Collins or De Valera. De Valera is
coAiidcns His eiic vill win, while
spokesman for tie Griffith Collins com
oinetion arc equally certain the will
Go:..iHlce tho conference.
=. This is the way it IS with cfcry-
ching il Ireland to-day. The same
day as the Ard rhci, meeting, the
laboc parties viii i7old convent:o..
to decide thcir future political policv.
AZ the last election thcS held aloof.
but though the have been lcanina,
toward the trec Statcr5 during The
recent weeks it . quite possible they
will nc-' give their support to Tic
republicans.
Like Gaui. Ireland might be divided
into three parts, Ulster, Free State
and Republican. Outaide ireland there
IS 4 tendency TO regard tnr friction
OYER tic Ulster bouNdarica az the III mos5
lnlportant factor to-des, but hc~e infn-
jtcly more "'orrs haD como over Dc
vclonmcnta in Cork anG Limerick ard
other republican atroNgholds. That
issue and the attitude Of American.
such ~ John Devoy, Martin Glyun
end Daniel Cohslan seem altogether :
more important that the question
whether Ulster Viii come into the
Nrcc State, which, of course, SIC won't.
Though soneT1at academic. an in
tercst;ng point ?gss presented to nc
regarding Ulster by = man who is in
the confidence OF both sides. Under
tnc treaty, the Belfast par,ia mont has
the option OF voting Itself out OF the
Frcc State, but the constitution OF tho
rrco STATE is for al OF ireland. a
bill is now being debated 4, West
mi',Ster, which provides for ar CLOG
tion Oh tho basis OF thc partition ret