The Washington herald., 1922-06-14
South of Ireland Stands
Solidly for Free State
Treaty, Says Gibbons.
DE VALERA SAVES
HIS FACE BY PACT
Collins Agrees to Give
Him Three Posts in
Cabinet.
By FLOYD GIBBONS.

DUBLIN. June 13.-The twenty
six counties. comprising the Free
State of ireland, are solidly in favor
of the treaty with Great Britain.
The violence and outlawry on the
part OF irregular bands in Southern
Ireland have alienated thousands of
former supporters of an an inde-
pendent Irish republic. Eamon de
Valera was able to salvage some of
his former popularity only by his
pact with Michael Collins, whereby
the pro-treaty agrees to reserve
four out of the seven cabinet port
folios for the anti-treaty minority.
These are safe and conservative
conclusions with the Irish elections
only three days distant. and South
ireland is enjoying conditions of
comparative quiet, despite the Irish
mans traditional prediction for
politics and strife. The country is
not excited and is not disturbed,
which is taken as the best Indication
and the outcome of the ballotine
is fairly well assured. One evidence
of the complete absence of worry
on the part of the pro-treaty sup
porters was Collins departure for
Grifith in the final negotiations
concerning the Free State constitu-
tion with Lloyd George.
Record stormy One.
The record for the last Ave
months leading to this weeks cleo
tion was a stormy one. 1t began
when Griffith and Collins. advocat-
ing the treaty, defeated De Valera
and the opposition before the Dali
Eireann by a vote of 81 to 81 last
January. De Valera's continued op-
position before the Sim Fein con-
vention in the latter part of Feb
ruary put a split IN that organiza-
tion. but peace was again restored
by the achievement of a working
agreement not to take. action on
the treaty during the period OF
months wherein no new elections
were to be held.
Eacth party agreed to put up
their old members OF the Dali for
Reelection and not to make oppo-
sition against the other party. but
at the same time both further
agreed not to oppose the election
of independent candidates. In the
interests of peace Mr.. Collins also
agreed to guarantee four cabinet
members to the anti-treaty party
which was admittedly in the mi
nority. Under this arrangement
nominations were held last week
for thirty-four candidstes-seven-
teen from each party who were re-
turned without opposition. In
twenty other constituencies there
are contests over some ninety seats
with independent running in all.
Fridays vote will decide these con-
tests.
Independents for Treaty.
1t is admitted by both sides that
the election' of Independents.
whether nominally labor or farmers
will add just so many votes to the
treaty supporters. 1t is further ad-
mitted that there is no chance to
defeat either De Valera, Collins or
Griffith in their constituencies, but
ity of Erskine Childers or CathaI
Brugha, De Valera able lieuten-
ants, to retain their seats.
The campaign so far has pro-
ceeded with lack of incident. the
speakers and leaders of both sides
frequently appearing on the same
platform and there Is no anticipa-
tion of violence on election day. al
though Waterford and East Tip
perary are hot spots where trouble
is usually expected.
The representatives elected will
constitute what will be known as
the Third Dali. the duty of which
will be to accept or to reject the
treaty with England. pass the con-
stitution for the Free State. COM
pile a new registry of votes, pass
the promised adult suffrage law,
and change the regulation which
now prevents women from voting
until 81 years of age.
Dublin is remarkably quiet as the
election approaches.