Evening star., 1924-03-16

~ Washington official life VINO
~ proudly wear the shamrock
tomorrow is Mrs. Elizabeth
McEvoy Ashurst, wife of the demo-
cratic senator from Arizona, who is
a most ardent Irish advocate.
A native of the historic Marble
City, Kilkenny. and reared in the
shadow Of Ormond Castle. it's most
! noted landmark for centuries. Mrs.
Ashurst has never lost her keen love
for her native land and its traditions.
Though in her teens when she came
to make her home in America. she
has watched the Emerald Isle writhe
in the throes of her national and in
ternai commissions. Like every true
Irish patriot, she has kept her love
and faith in her people pinned fast
| to the dream that is part and parcel
! of every Irish heart. To her, as to
! hundreds of other sons and daugh-
| ters, Ireland is ever magnet to
which eyes and footsteps turn; and
having just returned from a visit to
her birthplace and a tour OF her
land, Mrs. Ashurst feels that Ireland
| has at last emerged from her
chrysalis of enforced suppression and
is again rearing her head as ma
tion.
| "It is a new Ireland that 1 saw this
time- said Mrs. Ashurst. with a
thrill Of pride. speaking of her trip
| of three months ending last Septem-
| her mo, Ireland was never divided
! or torn by religious questions. Her
| troubles through the ages have al
/ ways been political. English rule and
| English propaganda caused Ireland
| to be disrupted but never conquered.
No true Irishman ever admits that
j Ireland could be conquered. Erin
| wants to be a republic, and she has
been fighting for $50 years to achieve
that goal
What is the attitude of the people
now" Mrs. Ashurst was asked
| "The people are contented for the
| time being with the Free State gov
! eminent, but are not satisfied. only
a small part of the island Is now un-
/ der British rule, just six counties in
i. the north; the remaining twenty-siN
| belong to the Free State
! "Of course you know that the
I house of parliament is called the dali
eireann and is conducted along the
same lines as our Senate. President
| William Cosgrove of the Free State
| presides and the secretary of state
is Desmond Fitzgerald. All the Off
| GERS and members conduct themselves
with great dignity.
| 1.-THE membership OF the parliament is
made UP Of representatives of the labor
lparty and the Free State party. The
meeting Is in the form OF an am
phftheater with seats arranged in rows
or tiers and SO planned that each
member has a clear view of the pro-
| ceedings. The parliament hopes at
some future time to move from Its
present quarters to the old Grattan
! parliament house. The government OF
the Irish Free State has all the pow
ers of the Dominion of Canada In re-
iation, to the British Empire.
"The Irish love to fight" smiled
Mrs. Ashurst, "All of the centuries Of
internal strife have not taken the
Tight out Of them. At present there
are between $4,000 and 10000 repub-
iicans in Mount JOY and other pris-
ons in Dublin, who are confined be-
cause of their zeal for complete in
dependence from Great Britain. and
who may be released at any time on
promising not to take up arms
against the Free State. Groups OF
from fifty to one hundred Of these
prisoners who have complied with
this condition are being freed at fre.
| quent intervals"
Although civil war. had been end.
ed only two months when Mrs. Ash
urst and her party. arrived in Ire
4 land they found. with the exception
Of the ruins of the -Four Courts" in
Dublin, but few traces. She says:
Reconstruction has been rapid.
Among other changes we noticed tha,
few of the old matched cottages re-
lmained. Instead the people now have
concrete and brick bungalows and
these are beautifully. built and wei
equipped. Did you know that King
George had parliament ]. appropriate
large sums Of money for homes fol
, .laboring 110n. &.S