Evening star., 1933-01-08
Issues Intensified
BY Irish Elections
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, January THE economic
war raging between England and Ire
land has reached a crisis with Eamon
de Valera's electoral challenge to VIII
liam CoSgrave this week.
In the Suddenness of his spring, Pres
ident de Valera has shown himself an
astute strategist and has caught the
opposition on the wrong foot. Threat
ened from two sides, he has transferred
the issue to the electorate before at
tacks could be effectively mobilized..
De Valera's decision to reduce civil
service salaries by one-half angered
the Labor party, on whose support the
government majority depends. He re-
fused to yield to their representations
and relations had become strained
when a second bolt was hurled at the
De Valera government.
This took the form OF q proposal
emanating from Alfred Byrne, lord
mayor Of Dublin, for the formation Of
National party directed to the con-
solidation Of all the opposition ele-
ments for the overthrow of the de
Valera government and the restoration
of trade relations with England. The
importance Of this move was enhanced
by the fact that Frank MacDermott.
leader Of the National Farmers and
&SotG 4dyC4o ACa6 0CS 4Ad4 CA4tCA C0 t441
field against the government, bringing
with him the prestige Of one Of the
most historic of Irish families and the
strong sympathies Of the Roman Cath
olic Church.
With the prospect of a combination
Of the CoSgrave Conservative party with
the farmers and discontented Labor,
de ValeraS position was seriously
threatened and he decided to strike
before the opposition had time to or
ganize.
In this he was successful, for the
time Is too short to permit the National
party idea to be ilnplemented before
the elections, ordered for January "a.
CoSgrave and MacDermott, however,
have reached an understanding. Their
arrangement Is that in the ten con-
stituencies where the Farmers League
stands good chance of winning, the
Cosgrave party will withdraw; and
where the latter Is confident of success,
MacDermott will cooperate to secure
victory. They are also negotiating with
the disgruntled Labor element.
Fianna Fail, the De Valera party,
however, is confident that it has caught
the opposition mapping and will capture
nine more seats than at the last elec-
ton, which would give it a majority
independent of Labor. De Valera
extinction and calculates he will gain
more by 1allying his own supporters,
the extremist and activiSts, than he viii
lose by tie disahection Of Labor.
4
The issue of the election turns ON
Ireland's relations with Englan1. Ths
strength OF the opposition attack on
De Valera is in the lasnentable condi-
tion of the country, which is due
mainly to the Anglo Irish economic war
and the practical loss of the British
market. CoSgrave stands for recogni-
ton of the Anglo-Irish treaty and SAYS
the negotiation of a trade agreement
with England would be the first and
immediate business Of a new govern
ment. He promises the farmers a re-
duction in their annuities and declares,
"CoSgrave will get back your markets
in three days" He says his party is
more than ever convinced that q treaty
with Great Britain is Ireland's ma
tional need and economic salvation.
1t had been anticipated that when the
next election came De Valera would
fight on the ground of denunciation of
The Anglo-Irish treaty and separation
from the British Commonwealth. He
never has concealed the fact that
Of a republic is his ulti-
mate goal, and the Irish republican
army. which Is his most active SUP
porter, Is urgently pressing him to adopt
republican platform. Apparently he
proposes to fight again as what the
Manchester Guardian calls "a hybrid
.Spuoucan commonwealther." But his
,lan OF campaign rests ON the basis of
toward Great Britain. lust
Is Cosgrave's rests On policy of under
Standing with Britain. Britain is the
,nemy and all who advocate peace by
1esotiation are ipso facto trailers.
Copyright. 1933O