Evening star., 1933-01-22
Britain Diverted by
Cricket and Ireland
BY A. G.. GARDINER.

LONDON, January 21.-A visitor
coming to England this week would
have found the country seething with
two problems-not Manchuria, which
has now reached a most critical phase,
nor the World Economic Conference,
which hovers like a phantom on the
horizon.
Both questions concern the internal
relations of the British Commonwealth.
One, relating to Australia, is comic.
The other, relating to Ireland, is seri-
the chief preoccupation of the public
mind.
The legend Of Nero fiddling while
Rome was burning is not inadequately
paralleled by the frenzied quarrel
which has sprung up between England
and Australia on the subject of cricket
An English team touring in Australia
has won two out of three test matches
SO far played. 1t has won them large
ly by concentrating its attack on the
leg theory" of bowling, which the Aus
tralians regard as dangerous and un-
fair.
The Australians take cricket with
enormous seriousness and the whole
country is in fever of resentment
against the English methods, although
the English point out that the Austria
lians introduced these methods in Eng
land years ago. Feeling eliminated at
Adelaide this week In demonstrations
of unprecedented bitterness, with Sc, 900
people keeping an uproar OF Jeers
whenever the fast English bowler, Har-
old Larwood, bowled on the leg theory
Before the conclusion of the match the
Australians cricket board of control
cabled the Marylebone Club, British
headquarters for cricket, formally pro-
testing against the methods, calling
for their discontinuance and declaring
that unless body-line bowling were
stopped the results threatened to have
most serious consequences on the
friendly relations of the two countries.
The question is now the subject OF
universal heated debate and even
abandonment of the tournament is be-
ing discussed. Two test matches re-
main to be played, and in the present
mood of the Australian public it is felt
that q repetition Of the scenes at
Adelaide might lead to serious harm
if not to the relations between the two
countries, at least to the English play
ers engaged In the games.
The general comment in the English
press Is that II cricket cannot be played
In the spirit of sport it had better not
be played at all.
The test match duel between Eng
land and Australia has been the great
est event In the cricket world for over
been the occasion of anything ap-
preaching the present bitterness OF
feeling.
Turning aside from this serio-com
quarrel to the more serious problem OF
Anglo Irish relations, the country
awaits the decision of the Irish elec-
tions next Tuesday. The issue has now
become clarified. Up 70 this week
President Eamon de Valera had avoided
raising the separatist issue and concen-
trated on economic rather than politt-
cal considerations. But on Tuesday in
Tpperary he announced his detsrmina-
ton to achieve Ireland's complete
independence, political as well as eco
nomic. Elsewhere he declared he would
make no peace with Great Britain un-
I'll the partition Of Ireland had been
william Cosgrave. former President
OF the Free State, who stands for main
tenance of the Anglo Irish treaty, has
seized on these declarations and chai-
lenged De Valera to say whether, If he
Is returned to power, he proposes to de-
clare . republic forthwith and what
measures he proposes to take to compel
Northern Ireland to consent to become
. part Of the new Irish Republic.
4 y
But the political issue is not likely
to govern tho result. That will be dc
tated by immediate bread and butter
confederation De Valeras promise to
halve the land annuities Is cancelled
out by Cosgraves undertaking not to
collect the annuities for two years. The
Cossrave policy Is directed toward win
ming the farmers. who are sore stricken
by the tariff war with Britain, while De
Valera's appeal is made to the poor,
who are benefited by relief work and
the relaxation Of the old age pension
rule.
Roughly speaking" says the Man
chester Guardians irish correspondent,
"the poor and thrtftless expect to protit
from q Do Valera regime while the
property owners and the thrifty hope
Tor more from Cosgrave's, Which ap-
peal VIII command z majority It u In
fHnnvrtoht 10Q2H