Evening star., 1922-01-01
CORK COUNCIL VOTE
.16T0 14F0R TREATY
One Of NarroWest Margins
Reported-UIster Now
Strong for Pact.
By the Associated Press.

by the Associated PfeSs.
! DUBLIN. December 31.-One of the
inarrowest majafiefes in favor Of rati-
flcation of the Irish treaty was re-
corded today by the Cork county
council. which voted 16 to IA. at
meeting specially summoned by the
lord mayor.
A resolution was moved proposing
| to leave the decision to the dali eire-
| ann, but after long discussion an
amendment was carried to the ef-
feet that "as there is no alternative
to acceptance, the treaty should be
| ratified"
Opposes Treatys Resigns.
! After a ratification resolution was
carried by the Donegal county coun-
Gil, one Of the members. DR.. Duffy,
formally presented his resignation.
saying he was unable to accept the
treaty, but realized that a great ma
jority Of his constituents desired rati-
f1cation.
| The Cavan council AMI the Tipperary
urban council were among many other
| bodies adopting resolutions in favor
Of ratificatio
! Owing to the uncertainty of Ire
lands future. recruiting has been sus-
pended temporarily to all Irish in
fantry regiments except the Irish
guards.
Ulster Strong for Treaty.
| The various county councils are
still adopting resolutions in favor of
the Irish treaty, the latest being
Donegal and Leitrim. In Ulster, both
inside and outside the six-county
area, the feeling in favor of the
l 10 Sfc fhny
in southern Ireland.
! Besides the public bodies, the treaty
is being debated in tho county COM
mittees Of the Sim Fein organization.
and all those which have already met
have declared in its favor. But the
reached division of opinion similar
E! to that in the dali eireann, showing
an active minority disappearing.
1t is evident that the Sim Fein or
ganizatton is seriously divided. and,
whatever the decision the da., cir
! eann reaches, the county W be
ranged in two hostile camps un,ess a
compromise is speedily effected, of
which there is yet not sign.
Situation Is Confused.
! Ratification Is regarded as certain.
! but that will not terminate the con-
troversy. Technically no official step
for ratification has yet been taken.
, It Will be the duty Of the British gov
ernment, acting in Ireland through
the clerk Of the crown and Hanaper,
to summon the ratifying body. which
/ Will consist of all the members elect
i ed to the house Of commons for south
ern Ireland. The house of commons
itself as such does not exist and could
=; net come into being unless the mem
| bers took the ordinary oath OF al
| legiance to the king: hence. the
phrase in the treaty defining the rati-
| Tying, body merely as members elect
ed to serve in it. whether they have.
agreed and sworn to do so. or. like
the Sim Fein members, have refused
| The meeting will be for the sole
purpose of ratification. and the men,
I, thus be during the tenure of the pro-
! visional government no Irish repre-
! sentative body to which that govern
ment can be responsible. except the
! an illegal organization.
| Arthur Griffith and his colleagues
might recognize the authority of the
dali. but the provisional government
will by agreement include some rep
| resentatives of the former unionist
minority in ireland. who could not be
| expected to do so. and would recog-
, nize their authority as derived solely
from the crown.
! DaiPs Future Vital Factor.
These circumstances might increase
the difficulties Of the new government in
! the transition period and lay it omen to
!, republican attack. The whole future
| largely turns on the fate of the dail
! eireann. Some think it will automat-
F.; ically go out of existence and on rati.
ficatton be superseded by the provi-
sional government Those against
ratification declare that no matter what
| the government rules from Dublin
! Castle, the dali eireann will rule from
!. the Mansion House.
! The republican army depends on and
! takes orders from the dali eireann. II
| the dali disso1ves, the people are ask
/; ing what will become Of that army. If
| it continues to function, with the army
! at its command, it must in effect con-
troll the provisional government This
! is the difficult situation which Arthur
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