The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-11-19
FREE STATE TO ACT
ON EQUALSUFFRA
Bill Goes to Parliament Let
ting Down Bars to All
but Policemen.
CIVIL GUARD ATTACKED
Rebels Rob and Plumber New
Unarmed Police Force in
Small Towns.

Specto! cabte to THE rEv YosK HEzALn.
Copyright, 1898, b. TIE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Dublin, Nov. 10.
One Of the earliest acts OF the new
Parliament, when fully constituted
under the Free state treaty. Will be
Din granting equal suffrage to all
citizens. Ernest Blythy, Minister of
Local Government, introduced the bill
in the provisional Parliament
Wednesday, where II passed the CON-
mittee stage. preparatory TO final
adoption and transmission TO the Sen
alto when the new constitution be-
comes operative.
The measure will mako the total
electorate OF the Irish Free State
about 1000, 900, provided a new regis
try OF voters is completed, which
would add many youths but recently
come Of age, besides women between
Fl and 30, who previously had been
excluded.
Eliminates Extra Votes.
The bill is designed also 10 eliminate
the practice under the old system where
by some persons we're legally entitled 10
three votes. It occasionally happened
that O man had a vote>for his residence
constituency, q vote for the constituency
IN which he had his business, and was
able to vote also as a graduate OF Dub
lin university, which sends four MEM
bers to Parliament. The new bill limits
& person to but one vote.
Policemen are not allowed to vote I'M
der the bill. The Ministers supporting
this exclusion argued that tho police
heretofore had been too interested In
politics. They declared that now It was
especially desirable 70 assure total dis
interest on the part OF the police as to
which party held tho reins OF govern
ment.
The Civic Guard, the new national po-
lice force created largely according 10
a plan evolved BY the late Michael Col
Inns. IS having a rough time In the small
towns where It has begun its duties, ow-
ing 10 attacks by armed rebels. The
force has been sent into the country un-
armed. in pursuance OF the Govern
ments efforts 20 restore public conf
dence. All the guardsmen have received
several months intensive military and
civil training. but the Government be-
lieved that If not armed they would en-
Joy the same immunity TO attack by the
irregulars as the Dublin metropolitan
police had when the Irish Republican
Army under Collins, was lighting the
British.
Take Guards Uniforms.
About 1000 OF the Civic Guard are nov
policing small towns. working with the
newly established county, courts. Civil
ians have welcomed them, and leading
citizens attending the opening Of the
courts expressed satisfaction with the
guard. Tho rebels. however. raided two
small guard posts, stole all the bedding
and equipment and even forced the
guardsmen 70 dofr the uniforms. one OF
them was murdered in County Tipperary.
Anti-treatyttes have done their utmost
10 disrupt this forco while rs recruits
we're In training. Rebels even Joined the
guard and tried thereby 20 cause discon-
tent few months ago, and for time
that had an III effect upon the morale.
The guard survived, however and now
the rebels threaten 20 make things hot
for them