Evening star., 1943-06-27
The Irish Elections

cept for this evidence of constitu-
tional vitality. the general election
just held In Fire has scant signifi-
canoe for the world at large. To the
Allied peoples, especially, Fires con-
tinued neutrality. with Axis diplo-
mats holding listening post within
its territory much as they have done
in Argentina, appears a difficult and
irritating anomaly. However, Fires
status in the world conflict did not
enter into the electoral campaign,
none of the political parties raising
the issue. The elections were thus
fought purely over local matters, the
paramount political issue being the
retention of power by the Fianna
Fail, or Republican party, dominated
by the personality Of Prime Minister
Eamon de Valera.
In this attempt the Premier failed.
Fianna Fail retained only sixty-six
seats in the Dali Eirann, or lower
House of Parliament, as against
seventy-three in the last House,
thereby losing its slender majority.
However, the chief opposition party,
known as Fine Gael and headed by
william T. Cosgrave, did not profit
by the change. On the contrary, it
likewise lost ground, losing eight
seats. which reduced its representa-
ton from forty to thirty-two. All
gains were made by the minor parties,
Labor rising from ten to seventeen
seats. while the new Farmers party,
starting from nothing in the last
Dali, made its political bow with
fourteen members. The scattering of
eight independents remained un-
changed, the apparent discrepancy
In totals resulting from the fact that
there were vacancies in the Dali to
be filled.
The political picture presented by
the election is thus highly confused.
Mr.. Cosgraye and his Fine Gael fol-
lowers had campaigned, for a coali-
ton government of all parties, but
MIR. De Valera had opposed this,
stating that he would not join such
a government. However, the Prime
Minister is faced with the necessity
of working with some other group
or groups, since under the parlia-
mentary system the Prime Minister
must always have an effective ma
jority. A bare majority in the Dali
would be sixty-nine, which is only
three over the sixty-six seats re-
tanned by Fianna Fail. Theoretically,
therefore, Mr.. De Valera could con-
tinue as Prime Minister in alliance
with Labor, with the Farmers, or
even with some of the independent
members. However, the composition
of such a coalition is not yet appar-
ent. The sudden rise of the new
Farmers party, which was the sensa-
ton of the election, indicates strong
resentment of the agricultural ele-
ments against Premier De Valera's
farm policies, especially the pegging
of farm produce prices and wages.
As for Labor, it is headed by William
Norton, once a stanch ally Of De
Valera, but now one of his liveliest
critics. Labor campaigned on a
platform of economic and social
radicalism, advocating workers
republic" with state control of public
utilities and guaranteed wage OF
twice the present rate for farm labor.
These considerations may make it
difficult for Mr.. De Valera to rally
either Labor or the Farmers party to
his parliamentary banner.
A working agreement between
Fianna Fail and Fine Gael is not ex-
cluded as a possibility. The original
bitterness between the two main
groups in Eires political life, headed,
respectively, by De Valera and Co.'S
grave, has softened with the passage
of the years. So, though notable diff
ferences still persist between both
the leaders and their respective fol-
lowings, some workable arrangement
might be made as an alternative to
fresh elections and continued polit-
ical uncertainty in a critical period.