Evening star., 1932-03-17
b. the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
DUBLIN. March 1.-THE wearing of
the green had double significance in
Erin today: It was the 1.500th anniver-
sary of st. Patricks landing and it
brought a new plan for union of the
North and South of Ireland
Eamonn de Valera, new President of
the Free State, announced last night,
on the eve of the ST. Patrick's day
celebrations. four-point program for
his administration, one point OF which
was an eventual merger of the Free
State and Ulster governments, age-old
division of Irish affairs.
Other points were abolition Of the
oath of allegiance to King George and
of the more than S10,000,000 year in
;and annuitieS paid to the British gov
ernment, as we'll as suspension of the
military courts set up by the Cosgrave
regime to try Irishmen for offenses
against the government.
Giant Statue to Rise.
The center of the days ceremonies in
honor OF St Patrick today. was at Saul,
in County Down, where giant statue
Of the saint is to be erected irnme-
diately on the Mountain of Sieve Will
lin. 400 feet above the shore where he
landed in 432 A. D. to begin his mis-
sionary work.
There is also to be a great altar on
the site, which commands magnlh-
cent view of the Irish Sea and the
Mourne Mountains. The statue will be
visible for many miles, looking toward
memories of Sieve Donard on the
south, Strangford Lough and even far
away SIernish, in County Antrim, on
the North
The ancient custom, of drowning
the Shamrock" was restricted today 10
homes only. The public houses We're
closed again this year, as they have
been on st. Patrick's day for many
years.
II hope to see the unnatural
boundaries between North and South
ireland broken down" President De
Valera said, explaining his new gov
ernmental program. He hoped, he said,
to see the Office of governor general of
ireland merged in time into the office OF
President of the Irish Republic.
Necessary, He Says.
He pointed out that even on grounds
of economy such move was necessary,
in his opinion. ireland has to support
two prime ministers" he said, and two
ministers of every kind, apart from the
great inconvenience because of the Gus
toms We must have a united Ireland" "
One of the first acts of the new Dali
Eirann. he said would be to abolish the
oath of allegiance to the British King.
The oath. he said. is not obligatory ac-
cording to the terms of the treaty of 10
years ago with England, following which
the Free State was formed
1T is our intention he added. mot
to make another payment (of the land
annuitieS) to Great Britain, and until
any negotiations can take place the
onus is on the British government 10
present its case for the annuities."
Pope Plus XII bestowed the apostolic
blessing on the Irish people in mes
sage to President De Valera, signed by
the papal secretary Of state, Cardinal
Pacelli. The message was in reply to
one from De Valera expressing the hope
that cordial relations between Ireland
and the Vatican might continue. The
Pope, Cardinal Pacelli said, was cx-
tremely pleased to receive President De
Valera's message.
The sod was broken for the statue of
St. Patrick today at Saul in County
Down, by Most Rev. DR.. Magician,
Bishop of Down and Connor.
Big Fund Being Raised.
A fund Of s250,O0O is being collected
for the memorial by public subscrip-
ton. and in the shadow of the statue
will be erected a high altar. where mass
may be said for large outdoor congre-