The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-03-17

kSSe1SesAgs provided milk funds for necesSitou children and increased the alloca. ton for school meals and child well fare.
 RUSH IMPROVEMENTS
 IN RURAL AFEAS
 This year we are taking advAn- tage of unemployment relief schemes to secure, in cooperation with local administrative bodies, an improvement in sanitation, water works, roads and other amenities in town and country. We are also con. tinuing archaeological excavations in which Harvard University ex- perts have assisted in recent years. We hope the relief schemes are temporary measures which will be- come unnecessary with an increase in industries and improvement in agriculture.
 '"The national housing campaign for slum clearance and for the erec- ton of decent homes for the people in town and country has been one of the most successful features of our social program. In four years, from 1892 to 1936, forty-seven thou sand houses were built or recon- structed under state aid schemes as compared with 26,3o00 in the ten years from 1922 to 1882.
 "On the artistic and cultural side, we are doing our best to re- store the Irish language as spok- en and written language, and we have in operation 8 scheme for the collection of Irish folklore which has attracted the attention of schol- ars in Europe and America.
 NEED FOR IMPORTS
 VASTLY DECREASED
 "The reconstruction of our econ- onic life has proceeded at 8 much more rapid rate than was antici- pated five years ago. With the ob- ject of collecting the land annuitjes which in our view were neither le- gally nor morally payable to the British treasury, the British govern ment in 1892 imposed emergency duties on Irish cattle and produce. These duties caused hardships to the farming community, but they did not break the morale of the farmers and they were indirectly re. Sponsible for accelerating the pace of standardization and reconstruc. tion of our agriculture.
 For instance, our imports of food and drink and tobacco, which were valued at 85 million dollars in 1881, had fallen to 55 millions in 1936. Among the chief items of reduction were wheaten -four, bacon, hams, butter and sugar, which home pro- auction now supplies. The area under wheat had increased from 2l,O00 acres in l932 to 55,O00 in 1886, while the area under sugar beet has increased fourfold.
 INDUSTRIES SHOW
 GREAT EXPANSION
 For a country in which manu. factures had been 50 long neglected, the development of our industries has been remarkable. Our young people have shown an unexpected aptitude for indus. rial processes and the investing ,publis has readily given the cap. ital necessary to establish various new industries. In order to in. sure that Irish industries will be Irish owned, over 50 per cent of all vote-carrying shares or stock must be beneficially owned by Irish nationals and there has been no difficulty in getting all the capital required. The total public issues in the past three years have been over fifty million dollars and many issues were oversuhscribed.
 "over 60 new industries have been created in the past five years and over 75 new factories and workshops have been estab. !ished.
 "The number of persons em- ployed in tarlff-protected indus tries has increased by 30,OOo from March, lo32, to March, 1936 The value of imports of wearing ap- parel has fallen from 27 million ,ollars in 1881 to nine millions in lJ36. As far as possible, new fac- ories are widely distributed hroughout towns of the state with the object of providing em-
 yment for the surplus popula-
 on of the land near the farms
 I'd adding t, the variety of life n the countryside and also avoid ag the evils which arise from mdue concentration of industries l particular areas.
 "As you know, we have re.
 e:med the Dial Eirann external 1an raised in the United States n 1920. We have met all our financial obligations promptly and. in spite of the strain on our esources imposed by British penal tariffs, our credit is sound nd all indications, such as bank .!earances. railroad traffic returns, atc, point to increasing prosper ty."
 LEW CONSTITUTION
 -EING DRAFTED
 I asked the President what were his plans for the future. He replied:
 "In internal affairs we propose to continue on our present lines of development. In external af- fairs, important changes nave .aken place since this time last year. No external authority now xistS in fact or In name in our aternal affair. In the course of he present year e constitution will be submitted to the people for enactment by them, to be brought into operation when they have signified their approval ot tt
 Unlike the constitution of 1922 which contained many clauses dictated by British minister. the Irish people will have the last eaaa Asa saAa Va