Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1922-01-16
MONDAY. JANUARY 16. 1922.
THE IRISH FREE STATE

The action OF King George OF
England in granting general
amnesty to all Irish political pris-
oners was diplomatic and we'll
timed move. 1t offered proof that
England was deeply in earnest IN
her desire to bring about peace
and understanding with Ireland,
and will do much TO allay what
ever suspicion may have existed
in the minds of the Irish people
as to her sincerity in carrying out
the provisions of the recently rat
flied Anglo-lrish Treaty. The re-
moval of this suspicion will tend
TO create popular sentiment in
favor of the treaty and will make
the tasks of the newly appointed
Provisional Government much
easier.
This new government will need
all the cooperation and strength
that ii. eanaeommand, for it faces
TIKI enormous task of bringing
stlpleH' goyerrment out OF the
citoatic conditions'which have ex-
listed in Ireland for centuries. 1t
will be called upon to take over
the conduct of affairs when the
British administration relin-
quishes control, sets up and firmly
establishes The Irish Free State,
organizes its systems OF justice
finance, internal economy and for
eign policies. and all the other
multifarious items which must be
considered in constructing a new
government. To accomplish this
effectively it will bes necessary to
frEe into 4 lie Free-sState govern
mi mt the advocates of the Irish
Rlbublic, eNho under the leader
ship of Eamonn De Valera. de
posed President, are at this time
strenuously Directing to the for
nation of the Free State and do
ing all in their power to re-
pudiate the ratification of the
Anglo-Irish treaty.
.Disposing of De Valera will be
the first and most important prob
lem the new government will be
confronted with. This may be
much simpler than appears on the
surface. The influence that he
now commands is largely due to
sentiment, and is based upon APP
probation for the steadfast and
determined manner in which he
championed the Irish cause up to
the time of the recent develop
ments. However, the turn of the
political wheel has brought about
a change and now instead of be-
ing the strongest factor in the de-
velopment of the Irish people he
has become in the opinion of
many. a real menace This very
quality of tenacious belief in the
Irish Republic has made him a
foe to the Irish State. When his
followers realize that the major
lily of the Irish people desire the
foundation of the Free State,
which they do. if we can Judge
from pulpit utterances and the
resolutions of City, County and
Town Councils. as set forth in
the daily press. and the Provis-
ional government becomes more
firmly established, they will grad
ually drop away and De Valera
will either cease his objections
due to lack of support or they will
bear no weight.
The position that the Irish Free
State will occupy among the var
ious States of the world will de-
pend absolutely upon its own
people. The real progress of ma
ton depends more upon the
SoundneSs of its economics than
on its form of government, and
the Irish people will have prob
lens on industry, agriculture and
finance to solve. They can at last
turn to the consideration of these
with minds free from the strain
and worry of constant war; and
upon the manner in which they
solve these problems depends the