The Wilmington morning star., 1945-06-25
Irish President
BY JAMES KING

admittedly facing a djfficrl ERE
in moving into l place in I tba task
war world beside nations ' post post
ened by war, has chosen h.. AaFd'
known rowing smbassadoTrt, 0est
the front man. t as
Ireland's presia.nt-eIect
Thomas OKelly, a, amisb1o s 'sa
hated little man with big so six
unquestionably is tie most + S.alls,
ed and the best lnguist s s,a.et
Irish politicians. among
And for job tnst is NOV.
honorary position tan any,Sis an
else, the white-haird, nint .' Jung
O'Kelly has been well tr .dSea
during a 4O-year political c ral,ea
he was among the original iess
ers in Ireland's fight for ; iesl
pendence and was the Irish VENUE r,ue'
lies "unofficial' delegato ~ epu0
Peace Conference after tbo :. ue
World War. VAIN 1'iS
Since then this tive-foo+ sjy.ico,
lrishman with his large n ,,,.'
trimmed spectacles-alwavs a rv'l.
and dignified-nas appeared 's 40
sort of Irish missionary in y, s
to capitals throughout the wn Y,s
including Washington, Roms
Paris, and Ottawa.
The 62-year old OKellv tat.,
office tomorrow as a staunco SIN
porter of Premier Eamon ~
Valera. They have been poIitcs
associates since they took part N
the 1916 Easter rebellion and
both served time in British iai,
During the Is years of D.
Valera government OKeIy h.,
served as education minister e.
nance minister and was denr,
prime minister at the time Of n,
election to the presidency.
Political cartoonists take d..
light in depicting the lanky d.
Valera and short O'Kelly as tss
Irish Mutt and Jeff"
| O'Kelly's stormy politicsl
career is in sharp contracts "a
that of the man he succeeds q
year old DR.. Douglas Hyde,
better known as a scholar in Irish
history, poetry and folklore than
for the minor role he played in
politics as a member of the sen.
ate.
| Hyde was a unanimous choice
of all parties for the presidency
seven years ago, but O'Kelly won
his post only after a hard fight
With the backing of De Valeras
powerful Finna Fail machine
O'Kelly beat two opponents who
accused the premier of trying to
establish a complete political dc
.atorship."
Hyde is a protestant. O'Kelly il
a devout Catholic In 1888 lie re
ceived from the Pope the grand
, cross of the Order OF St. Greg
DRY the Great,
O'Kelly shares with his pre-
decessor a scholarly interest in
Irish history and Irish LANGUAGE
: He was general secretary Of the
Gaelic league from 1915 10 1920
He speaks a half-tpzen Languages
in addition to English
O'Kelly began bis career as a
5 clerk in British governmea
office and later became police
man, soldier, journalist and poll
) tician.
!, While personally of mild dispo
sition, O'Kelly is an impassoned
orator. Even his political foes con-
cede he blunted their arguments
during rows when OKelly was
speaker of the Dali Qrish paEla
ment)). There was never mucn
bitterness in his own campagN
O'Kelly leads a quiet, retElns
private Life. He is related D!
marriage to Richard Mulcang'
general of the opposition fM
Gael party. Their wives are hyans
sisters who hold in Irish pom
tics a place similar to that Of Inv
Soong sisters in China.
After his first wife, Ryan, dl'o
in 1884 O'Kelly married her slSel'
who was the only woman pu0%S
analyst in Ireland. The -FOUR"
Ryan girl is the wife OF the ilA'
lister of agriculture. ,,.r.
With his inauguration, oAe4
,, virtually will retire from parry
!, politics and will leave his pG
: in government. The Irish pfes !,
, dent is the commander-ln-cflel o.
, the armed forces but he has HUE
: power. He cannot even veto lFsn
lation but he can refer meaSul"
to the Supreme Court in cnaIIsA'
ing their legality.