The Mankato free press., 1922-01-13


pointed chairman OF the Sim Fein
mission. He was in London through
out October, November and December
eliminated on December 6, last with
the signing of the. treaty between
Great Rritain and ireland which has
now been approved by the British
parliament and the Dali Eireann.
Griffith Nominated BY Collins
Griffith was placed in nomination
by Michael Collins shortly after the
beginning of the session. AS matters
stood, said Collins, Ireland was with
opposition with obstructionist tactics
and declared its desire was to create
the impression that Ireland was still
unfriendly to England to discredit
the supporters of the treaty, The pre-
sent course OF the Dali, IL persisted
in, would give England an excuse for
remaining In Ireland, he declared,
The proposition 70 elect Griffith was
opposed by John MacIntee, who said
he questioned the wisdom OF putting
up b. II Ggth man "a Who sbs tysstS Tss bound
wreck the Irish republic, He declared
no man who had signed the peace
agreement should be president nf the
Dali. II was proposed to do gratiously
in carrying out the treaty what John
Redmond was coerced into doing in
1914, added Maclntee.
Eamon De Valera asked Griffith
whether he intended IL elected. to act
as the executive Of the republic. The
Dali Eireann, ne said, was represes-
tative of the republic and OF nothing
else, Peace was not established by
the treaty, he declared. as the strug-
gle for the republic would continue.
"This body" added De Valera, "has
not right to give away its powers un-
less 1t Is established as q republican
government"
Charles Burgess, following De VAL
era, declared Griffith had broken the
agreement not TO sign treaty until
the completed document had been
Answering the questions of the op-
position, Griffith said that If elected
he would use his POSITION 10 give ef-
feet to the constitutional vote of the
Dali to carry out the terms OF the
treaty.
@The republic of Ireland replied
Griffith, remains In being until the
free states comes into being and there
is an opportunity to put the question
before the electorate"
Griffith said the Dali had approved
the treaty and that it must be carried
into effect, Therefore, he added, we
must have a provisional government =
Miss Mary MacSwiney said Griffith
had made it clear he intends to get
Lloyd George to endorse the Dali as
the provisional government.
De Valera Leaves Hall.
Eamon De Valera and his followers
walked out while the vote was being
taken, in protest against the nomipd-
tion of Griffith Speaker MacNeill put
the motion for Griffiths election, and
he was unanimously chosen,
Despite Griffith's assurances that
he would keep the repuhlis going Mr..
De Valera declared Griffin could not
act as president and at the same time
as head of the provisional govern
ment. He said the position of Griffith
would be Impossible and he urged
that some one other thar signatory
Of the treaty be- made head of the
The suggestion was not followed,
however, and ir. De Valera and his
party left tie chamber, the unani-
nous election of Griffith following.
Among those who walked out with
De Valera was Robert c. Barton, a
signer of the peace treaty who, while
ii under duressg He voted for Presi-
a'nf De Valera's re- election yester-
,ds.
After his election, President Griffith
made this announcement: "The Dali
will continue to exist until the Irish
free state is set up"
President Griffith nominated, and
the Dali ratified viva voce the cabinet
members.
Eamon De Valera and his party i'm
mediately went into conference out
side nromiSing a statement TO the
press later. 1t was not known whe-
ther they would re- enter the Dali.
Collins moved that Arthur Griffith
be appointed president of the Dali
Eireann. r..
The Irish nation had no captain,
continued Collins, who proceeded to
tell the Dali that he had received a
letter from the proprietor of the Cork
Examiner. saying the management o.
that newspaper had been held up this
morning at two o'clock and compelled
said he called such methods 'hlack
and tan methods" whoever employed
them.