Evening star., 1924-06-08
IRELAND'S ECONOMIC PROGRESS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

Most of the news which the Amer
ican people have had from Ireland in
the past few years has concerned
political controversy. guerrilla war
fare between the factions. bomb out
RACES, assassinations and other vio-
lent happenings. The Irish Free
State, nevertheless, has not devoted
all of it's efforts to strife. Some con-
structive work has been going on and
trade and production have found
place between riots.
The Department Of Commerce al
ways maintains a discreet silence
concerning the political affairs of a
foreign nation. but takes keen inter
est in it's Industrial and commercial
life. In the reports which come to
that department from old ireland
may be found nothing relating to the
fighting, but much which shows that
the Irish Free State Is making prog
ress toward an Independent economic
status.
Labor Unrest Decreases.
The latest reports show that there
is less labor unrest in the Emerald
Isle than there has been in the last
two years, and this despite the fact
been demobilized. Demobilization of
soldiers caused labor unrest in prac-
tically every country in Europe after
the war. 1t is a usual phenomenon
following war, especially in an old
country where work is relatively
scarce in proportion to population.
After serving under arms for several
hai
tion, it is difficult for the soldier to
lay down his arms and turn to pro-
| ductive pursuits. He chafes against
the restraints Of civil life, finding
them in a sense more confning than
military discipline.
1t will be remembered that imme-
diately after the armistice there was
such widespread unemployment in the
United States that President Harding
found 1t necessary to call q national
conference on the subject.
This had not been the case after
the American civil war, because the
country was newer then. To take
care OF the unemployed soldiers Con-
Of land grants The change from,
fighting armies to the fighting OF In
dians and nature on the frontier was
not so much a change as the trans
lt1On from Tanks 10 little
| farms in highly cultivated districts
or to factories and desks.
Soldiers Find Work.
| ireland has no new land to grant
to discharged soldiers, and Irish SOL
diers have the reputation of enter
tanning hereditary preference fol
| contest rather than for more peaceful
| pursuits. Nevertheless the Irish sol.
diers who now are being disbanded In
large numbers in relation to the pop
ulation are quietly finding employ
ment and helping to build up theil
new nation.
The number Of registered unem-
ployed at the first Of the year In the
Irish Free State is reported as 33,543
| of whom 26.024 were men. On March
/ only 29,O39 unemployed were regis
tered, of whom 23.552 we're men.
AS the Irishman is essentially ar
| independent type Of man who doesn''
| relish registering anywhere, 1t Il
| known that most OF the unemployed
| have not sent In their names to the
government However, 1t ts esti.
! out Of work in the whole Free State
| Most Of these are agricultural Ia
| borers.
Economie IApeoveneAt Expected.
A general improvement in Irish
| Free State economic conditions - sx.
pected throuShout tho year. Thl
I've stock i1A1ntaa Ga eG thA 0oa