The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-02-15
President Cosgrove
 Faces Hard Fight
(Continued from Page 1.)

shortly after the shooting. Cos grave declared that the Fianna Fail party never has lost contact with elements favoring armed op- position to the Free State govern ment.
 Followers of De Valera are "holding themselves free to adopt other methods than they are now following" The president charged. His reference was to the recent government attacks upon the op- position extremists. The govern ment holds that the extremists are organizing for armed resistance, despite the fact that De Valera re- gently has frowned upon talk of an uprising.
 Cosgrave warned that De Valera victory would plunge the country into economic ruin and bring about grave political cOnse- quences.
 General opinion is that the elec- ton will be closely contested. The Cosgrave and De Valera parties ment that few independents and laborites will hold the balance of power.
 Several fist fights interrupted Cosgrave's speech, at an open air meeting in front of historic Trinity College. Civic guards frequently charged the disturbers, batons swinging.
 The meeting also was disrupted when one of the o-government speakers collapsed and an ambu- lance was called to take him to a hospital.
 De Valera's campaign, made for the most part in the rural districts, has emphasized the nations agri- cultural distress, growing unem- ployment and declining trade. De Valera has asked the voters re- peatedly whether they will "allow the country to bleed to death or try to realize the hopes and as- pirations which have led us to make the struggles of the past"
 De Valera proposes, as his first act if he comes into power, tC abolish the oath of allegiance tC King George which all members of the Dali (parliamenD must take at the present time.
 Unless Cosgrave comes through with a clear majority in the Dal as result of tomorrows election many of his friends believe h, would refuse another presidential term. He has held office without interruption for more than nine years. His health is poor. He would have retired long since ii l his party had another leader cap. able of fighting the steadily-grow- ing Fianna Fail.
 If Cosgrave retires. there Is nc other man in Ireland who could match his personal following against that of De Valera. Il would leave the field open to the Fianna Fail.
 Two political blunders commit. ted by Cosgrave in the present campaign are believed to have weakened his chances.
 The government brought to tria before a military tribunal the edi. tor of De Valera's Irish press, the only opposition newspaper ir Dublin. The editor was charged with seditious libel for printing statements of defendants tried bS the tribunal.
 Cosgrave's other alleged politi. cal error was to announce an i'm. pending cut in the pay of the civic guards. This proposed re. duction was in the rural districts where the big voting strength lies the economic depression and grow. ing poverty have been strong allie. in De Valera's campaign. Also, he promised to raise tariff walls and subsidize home industries, thereb, cutting off the millions of pounds worth of manufacturing now i'm. ported from England.
 Reynolds' death may make the balance of power in the new dail uncertain for 1t postponed the cleo. tion from his constituency in ac. cordance with the provision of the law that an election is postponed if a candidate dies before polling commences.