M OCR AT (Incorporating "Irish Freedom")

w Series No. 1 JANUARY, 1945 Price 3d.

U N D E R T H E BANNER OF CONNOLLY

By P A T D O O L E Y Pr ice 6d. (8d. post f ree )

O R D E R N O W f rom "Ir ish Democra t , " Premier House, 150 Southampton Row,

London, W . C . I

END THE TRAVEL WILL ANYTHING BE DONE IN 1945 ABOUT THIS?

1 Deputies Suspended after Protest in Dai I

N the Dail, Depu ty La rk in , J u n i o r (Labour ) , said he "wished to ra ise two

allied sub j ec t s—the i n t e r f e r e n c e by t he Garda a u t h o r i t i e s wi th a m e e t i n g , held in Dublin, to p r e p a r e a pe t i t i on for t he re-prieve of a m a n u n d e r s e n t e n c e of d e a t h , and secondly, t he ac t ion of t h e Press Cen-sor in supp re s s ing all n e w s p a p e r re fe r -ences to t he s a m e m e e t i n g . "

The Speaker r e fu sed , s a y i n g t he r eques t was "in s u b s t a n c e a c e n s u r e of a d m i n i s t r a -tive ac t ion a l r eady t aken , a n d s u c h cen-sure can a n d should be d e a l t w i th in t he ordinary way, by m o t i o n a f t e r d u e not ice ."

Mr. Larkin, Junior, r e p l i e d : " W i t h all deference a n d respec t fo r you r posi t ion , I must hold t h a t your dec i s ion is a r b i t r a r y . Th is ques t ion is n o t on ly a n a d m i n i s t r a -tive quest ion, b u t one of publ ic impor t -ance."

D E L I B E R A T E I N T E R F E R E N C E I • N D E R t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n , sa id Mr .

Lark in , c i t izens a r e g r a n t e d c e r t a i n r ights . T h e r e h a s been d e l i b e r a t e i n t e r -ference on t h e p a r t of t h e pol ice a n d t h e Censor wi th t hose r i g h t s — d e l i b e r a t e to the e x t e n t t h a t m e n h a v e been a r r e s t e d and a re still he ld In gaol ; d e l i b e r a t e to t h e ex ten t t h a t n o t only h a v e no t i ce s in t h e Press been suppressed b e c a u s e of m e n t i o n of the n a m e of a m a n now ly ing u n d e r sen tence of d e a t h , bu t even no t ices con-ta in ing n o such r e f e r e n c e s h a v e been pro-hibi ted pub l ica t ion in t he P re s s .

A bare not ice of a n i n t e n t i o n to hold a series of m a s s e s h a s a lso c o m e u n d e r pro-hibi t ion by t h e Censor . M y u n d e r s t a n d -ing a t t he t ime was t h a t t h o s e power s were given t o t h e C e n s o r to d e f e n d t h i s S ta te a g a i n s t Its e x t e r n a l e n e m i e s a n d n o t to in t e r f e re w i th t h e r i g h t s of ci t izens.

Labour Majority in Jamaica

A L E X A N D E R B u s t a m e n t e , colour-" ful T r a d e Union l e ade r , ha s swep t the polls in J a m a i c a w h e r e t h e L a b o u r Par ty has w o n 22 out of t h e 32 sea ts in the first G e n e r a l E lec t ion in t h e West Indies w h e r e a l l o ve r 21 can vote.

The Constitution legalising the Election and the adult suffrage followed a Royal Com-mission in Jamaica where considerable dis-content was manifes t in 1939. The Consti-tution grants extensive powers of veto to the Governor.

NEW CONCERT HALL FOR DUBLIN

A CONCERT HALL, to accommodate be--'•»- tween 200 and 300 people, Is beinff built in the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Wetland Row, Dublin.

The work had been s ta r ted last March, and the present scheme h a d t aken the place of the Governors' previous p l ans for building a public concert haj l , with accommodat ion for about 500 people.

The cost of the present scheme was esti-mated a t £2,000, of which about one-half already had been subscribed.

S T A M P S

IRISH DEMOCRAT" and the Con-nolly AuoclaUon regret that they

cannot undertake to reply to the many enqulriaa received unless a stamped envelope Is M a t wl«i the enquiry.

V I e m b e r s of th is H o u s e a re fo rced to ' ' p r o t e s t because they were den ied

a n y o t h e r o p p o r t u n i t y ou t s ide th i s House , excep t one m e e t i n g , of exerc i s ing t h e i r o r d i n a r y C o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t s .

T h e police a r e h e r e to s u p p o r t t he law a n d e n f o r c e it a n d n o t to b reak t he law. T h e Censor is h e r e to p ro t ec t th i s c o u n t r y a n d i t s c i t izens , a n d I s u g g e s t . . . .

T h e S p e a k e r : T h a t is n o t in order . Mr. Lark in , J u n i o r : He is lying t h e r e

u n d e r s e n t e n c e of d e a t h — Deput ies : O r d e r ! Mr. Lark in , J u n i o r : If you w a n t to pro-

test, you c a n do so. T h e S p e a k e r : T h e D e p u t y will r e s u m e

h i s sea t . Mr. F l a n a g a n : He will n o t be al lowed to

speak. Mr. Lark in , J u n i o r : W i t h all due re-

spec t— T h e S p e a k e r : T h e D e p u t y will r e s u m e

h is sea t . Mr. La rk in , J u n i o r : I s u b m i t t h a t you

h a v e a b u s e d your a u t h o r i t y in t h a t C h a i r . 1 a m n o t going to r e s u m e m y sea t .

T h e S p e a k e r : T h e n I sha l l be compel led to n a m e t h e D e p u t y .

Mr. Lark in , J u n i o r : I welcome t h a t be-cause i t s h o w s t h a t you also

Depu t i e s : C h a i r ! Mr. Lark in , J u n i o r : Do no t m i n d t h e

c h a i r . Do your du ty to t h e c i t izens of t h i s c o u n t r y .

Mr. de V a l e r a : I move t h a t D e p u t y L a r -k in be s u s p e n d e d f r o m t h e service of t h e Dail .

T h e mo t ion was c a r r i e d by 74 to 19. F i n e Pae l vo t ing w i th F i a n n a Fa i l fo r t h e mot ion .

Depu t i e s F i n u c a n e a n d S p r i n g c o n t i n u e d to press t h e m a t t e r , a n d they , too, were s u s p e n d e d f r o m service in t h e Dail . T h e G o v e r n m e n t t h e n proceeded to a discus-s ion on t h e supp ly a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n of mi lk .

CONTACT OUR readers who have recently

arrived in London from provin-cial cities are urged to contact us as soon as possible to ensure continued sales. Sellers are especially invited. Write to "Irish Democrat," Premier House. 150 Southampton Row, London, W.C.I. (Ter. 3906).

IRISH WORKERS GET HARSH TREATMENT

By a Special Correspondent " \ * / H Y don't they ban t rave l to E i re altogether and then w e w o u l d

know where we stood ?" Th is "browned off" opinion was given to me by one of the many thousands of Southerners who was forced to have his Christmas dinner at an English quick- lunch counter.

Irish men and w o m e n w o r k i n g in w a r factories in B r i t a i n have now had years of exper ience of red tape r t r e . They thought this was bad enough, but this Christmas even the red tape of Government depar tments and ra i l -way clerical staffs got into a tangle of mingled callousness, inefficiency and procrastinat ion w h i c h defied imaginat ion.

b r e a k d o w n

Baton Charge in Dublin

£ H A R L E S K E R I N S , aged 26, of ^ Caher ina, T ra lee , Co. K e r r y , was executed in D u b l i n on F r i d a y , Decem-ber tst for the m u r d e r of Detect ive-sergeant Denis O 'Br ien , w h o was shot dead as he left his home outside Dub-l in in 1942.

Xer ins w a s a r r e s t e d in J u n e last, and was sen tenced to d e a t h on Sep-t e m b e r 9th. Appl ica t ion f o r leave to appea l to t h e S u p r e m e Cour t w a s re fused .

I .R.A. " R E C R U I T I N G " A L L E G E D

A BATON charge was made in ^ O'Connell Street, when an attempt was made to disperse a demonstration in connection with the death sentence. A number of people were injured and taken to hospital.

I t is a l leged by t he m e m b e r s of the Gov-ve rnmen t , t h a t t h e I.R.A. ( r e f e r r e d to a s " a n o r g a n i s a t i o n " ) were u s i n g t h e repr ieve c a m p a i g n a s a c loak fo r I .R.A. r ec ru i t ing .

C E N S O R S H I P

SILENCE h a d been i m p o s e d on t he re-prieve c a m p a i g n , n o m e n t i o n be ing

al lowed in t he P r e s s of a r e p r i e v e m e e t i n g in the M a n s i o n House, D u b l i n , or t he f a c t t h a t pe t i t ion f o r m s h a d been ava i lab le fo r s i g n a t u r e the re .

All a d v e r t i s e m e n t s a b o u t i t in t h e Dub-lin p a p e r s were s topped , a n d telegrams re-l a t i ng to t he appea l , s e n t by a c o m m i t t e e in County K e r r y h a d n o t b e e n del ivered.

[ Dail report of the Reprieve Censorship is on Page Five]

T h e b r e a k d o w n in the sys t em of i ssuing sail ing t i cke t s w a s comple t e . G r e a t n u m b e r s of people, u n d e r t h e impress ion tha t these w o u l d be issued on a "first come, first s e r v e d " basis , s en t in their app l ica t ions m o n t h s ago. S o m e appl ica t ions f o r C h r i s t m a s t r a v e l were lodged at the* end of t h e s u m m e r .

EARLY BIRDS GOT—BIRD XTTTHAT h a p p e n e d ? O t h e r s , who de -

» ' layed m a k i n g t h e i r a p p l i c a t i o n s f o r s a i l i ng t ickets un t i l a f ew d a y s be fo re t h e d a t e on which t h e y p roposed t o t r ave l , received their t i cke t s a l m o s t by r e t u r n of pos t .

T h e "early b i rds" d iscovered t h a t t h e i r a p p l i c a t i o n s h a d b e e n p igeon-holed a n d f o r g o t t e n — t h e y d i d n ' t even h a v e t h e c o n -s o l a t i o n of h a v i n g h a d a c h a n c e in a " leave ballot ."

At Euston an official confessed that ap-plications had NOT been dealt with in rotation, and that topsy-turvy conditions prevailed in the L.M.S. Staff shortage, and the incompetency of existing staffs were blamed for the failure to deal with applications with even a semblance of order and regularity.

A repor te r who i n q u i r e d a t the M i n i s t r y of W a r T r a n s p o r t on beha l f of a N o r t h e r n I r e l a n d Union i s t p a p e r was told t h a t n o t h i n g could be d o n e f o r m a n y h u n d r e d s of people f r o m the S ix C o u n t i e s w h o h a d b e e n unab le to o b t a i n p e r m i t s .

LUDICROUS SERVICE A P P A R E N T L Y , in a vap id a t t e m p t t o

t ake t he s t i ng o u t of t h i s reply, t h e off icial concerned a d d e d : " T h i n g s a r e m u c h worse on t h e H o l y h e a d - D u b l i n route—if t h a t is a n y conso la t ion . "

J u s t how bad t h i n g s were on t h e Holy-h e a d - D u b l i n route , t he m a j o r i t y of u s k n e w to our cost. O n t h e H e y s h a m - B e l -f a s t service t he s h i p p i n g space a v a i l a b l e

(Continued on Page Three, Col. One)

World Trade Union Congress

FOUR REASONS WHY WE SHOULD ATTEND ] RESPITE opposi t ion f rom the Coun-

cil of Ir ish T r a d e Unions , the big m a j o r i t y decis ion of the Irish T r a d e Union Congress at its a n n u a l m e e t i n g in Drogheda to send a de lega t ion to the World T r a d e Union C o n f e r e n c e in L o n d o n in F e b r u a r y will be uphe ld .

T h e Counci l of Ir ish T r a d e Unions is unde r s tood to have expressed oppo-si t ion to this democra t i c and progres-sive decision on t h r e e main g rounds :

1 —The I r i s h u n i o n s wh ich opposed p a r -t i c ipa t ion r e p r e s e n t e d t he g r e a t e r p a r t of t r a d e u n i o n i s t s in t h e n e u t r a l T w e n t y - S i x Count ies .

2 .—The p r o p e r body to convene a world c o n f e r e n c e is t he I n t e r n a t i o n a l Pedefa^-t ion of T r a d e U n i o n s — n o t t he B r i t i s h T.U.C.

3.—Decisions a t t he Wor ld C o n f e r e n c e would be those of r ep r e sen t a t i ve s of t h e Allied Na t ions , because it is p rac t i ca l ly c e r t a i n t h a t n e i t h e r Swi t ze r l and n o r Sweden would be represented.

COMMON AIM I N answer to these o b j e c t i o n s the fol-' lowing po in t s shou ld be n o t e d : —

The Counci l of I r i sh T r a d e Un ions e m -braces only a smal l p e r c e n t a g e of t he 47 un ions aff i l ia ted to the I r i s h T r a d e U n i o n Congress .

Secondly, m a n y lead ing t r a d e u n i o n or -gan i s a t i ons t h r o u g h o u t t h e world, inc lud-ing the six mi l l ion s t r o n g C.I.O. in t h e Uni ted S ta tes , t he fou r a n d a hal f mil l ion s t r o n g L a t i n - A m e r i c a n Confederat ion a n d t h e Soviet t r a d e unions h a v e repeatedly s t ressed t h e necess i ty of world Labour get -t ing t oge the r t o d i scuss a c o m m o n a i m a n d p r o g r a m m e , so t h a t w h e n the big Job of post-war r e - cons t ruc t i on c a n be begun, t h e o rgan i sed worke r s of the world, t h r o u g h the i r t r a d e u n i o n s c a n speak w i t h a c o m m o n voice to-«nsure a las t ing peace and Improved standards of l iv ing through^ ou t the world.

Ttiirdly, all neutral n a t i o n s (with the exception of the Argentine, where t 'ade unions have been suppressed) have been in-

v i t ed a n d the re h a s been no k n o w n r e f u s a l t o da t e .

Fourthly, all delegations will have an equal say in shaping decisions, which wi l l be reached by "general consent," and not by majority votes. Neutral delegations will have equal powers wi th those of the Allied Nation* In shaping decisions on the three moct Important debatesi Tha basis for a world trade union federation; Imme-diate trade union demands In the post-war period; and problems of reconstruc-tion.

T h e y m a y a lso a t tend as "observers" in t h e two remaining debates: Furtherance of t h e Allied war effort, a n d the at t i tude of trade unions towards the ant ic ipated p e a c e s e t t l e m e n t

T h e American Federat ion of Labour is t h e on ly trade union organisat ion of im-portance which h a s re fused to attend t h e conference, because of opposit ion to t h e C.LO. and the Sov ie t trade unions. A n invi tat ion by the I.P.T.U. would have e x -. l - i ^ d both these bodies. ^

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THE IRISH DEMOCRAT January, 1945

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DIGNAN PLAN GOOD BUT IT HAS A FLAW £100.000 VOTED FOR ITALY

N E W PROPELLER TWOPENCE MONTHLY

THE one paper that caters solely for i the needs of engineering and i

shipbuilding workers and deals with • the problems of the Shop Stewards in i factory and shipyard.

Order from the Shop Stewards I National Council, 5. Guildford Place, ' London, W.C.I. Tel. Holborn 1361.

s

$ $ J § C •» Irish and Modern Dance* to Frank Lfe § and hit Radio an/1 Recording Tara

Cellidhe Band.

'! he S).iii agreed to i UiMUiOO to be granted < n)-.. l'or the alliviatiun iiir lo the war.

sum Mat evceeding to the Irish Red

of distress in Italy

W r e a t l i f r o m F r a n c o a i t

G e n . O ' D i i f f l y ' s F u n e r a l

TH E funeral of General Eoin O'Duffy took place with full mi l i tary honours f rom the Pro-Cathedral to Glasnevin cemetery, Dublin. Mr . de

Vaiera, members of the Government, the Oireachtas, the Judiciary, Army, Garda and Diplomatic Corps were among the large attendance.

Among the 13 priests at tending was the Rev. C. Daly, chaplain to the "Iri>.li Hri-

S t r u c k W o r k f o r a £3 W e e k

r'HERE has been an unofficial strike in-volving SO employees in the moulding

department oi Allied Ironfcunders (Ireland) Lid.. Bilberry. Waterford.

The strikers, some of whom are members of the Irish Engineering and Foundry Workers' Union, approached the manage-ment of the Foundry to secure a minimum flat rate of £ 3 per week, or a guarantee of three days per week which would enable them to sign on in the Labour Exchange the other three.

All the workers in the moulding shop arc-piece workers. Some mornings they go to work and find no scrap available. This means that they hang around sometimes for hours.

Allied Ironfoundcrs (I.> Ltd. made a nett prolit for the year ending June 30th. 1943. cf £7,834 against £1,309 or nearly six times as much as the year before.

TRAPPED IN COLLAPSE OF SHOP FLOOR

' T I / ' H E N the floor of a flour loft at the * ' premises of Clonmel Co-operative Bak-

ery collapsed, five persons in the shop had a narrow escape.

One of the customers—Mrs. Veale, of Old Bridge, Clonmelwas—was covered by the fall-ing debris, and was not extracted for some time.

She was unconscious when rescued, and was taken to the District Hospital; she suf-fered from shock, but had no serious injury. Her little son, who was with her, was not injured.

T

Rade." Herr E. Hcmpel. German Minister, and

Herr Tiiomsen. Secretary to the German Li-gation; Scnor Ontivoros, Spanish Minister, were present.

Wreaths were laid on the grave from the Spanish Minister ion behalf cf Gen. Francoi by Capt. P. Quinn; from the officers, N.C.O.s and legionaircs of the Irish Brigade in Spain, by Mr. Liam Crowley; on behalf of the Ger-man Minister.

iHE name. Gen. Eoin O'Duffy will not be remembered by Irish democrats for

his early work in the I.R.A. for the causc of freedom and independence in Ireland, but for his later activities against both causes in an attempt to place Ireland un-der the heel of Fascism.

A supporter of the Treaty in 1921. Mi-chael Collins placed him in charge of the Civic Guards with the special job of sup-pressing the Rebels. He was dismissed by the de Valcra Government in 1932, joined W. Cosgravc's Party and later formed the Blue Shirt organisation, the Irish counter-part of Hitler's Storm Troopers.

From these Blue-shirted tatterdemalions he 'organised' an Irish Brigade and a 'cru-sade' against Communism and in support of Franco and his Fascists in Spain dur-ing the Civil War. There are conflicting opinions as to whether they went to Spain to fight or to drink the country dry. Others say they never saw the battlefield except through field glasses. History records, how-ever, that through internal feuds and fights they quickly returned to Ireland.

O'Duffy then set up the National Cor-porate Party, with green shirts this time, but de Valera's Abolition of Uniforms Bill put an end to that. Thrown back on his beam-end, O'Duffy then wrote his "Cru-sade in Spain,'' which lost for him what-ever shred of reputation he ever had.

E L E C T I O N B R I B E R Y C H A R G E I T is an unusually serious offence which, in my opinion has been aggra-

vated by perjury, said District Justice Farrel l in Dubl in, when he sentenced John A. Corr (32), 25 Castle Street, Dalkey, a former chairman of the Dubl in Co. Council, to three months' imprisonment. He was charged with offering £60 to Geo.

O'Connell, garage proprietor, Edenderry. a voter in the last Seanad Election and offer-ing him a further £50 for Michael Morris, another voter, to induce them to vote in a particular way.

Mr. P. McGilligan, T.D. (instructed by Mr. H. J. Lemass) gave notice of appeal and bail was fixed at ,£250, with two sureties of £250 each.

'TAKE OFF THE GLOVES'

South London'! Irish Social Centre <

1RACING the most hopeful period of its existence, the Writers', Artists', Actors'

and Musicians' Association was about to get down to negotiations and begin the actual battle for which it was founded, said Mr. Sean O'Faoiain, outgoing President, at the annual meeting recently in Dublin.

Mr. Redmond, retiring Secretary, In his review of the year, said that when some man-agements regarded W.A.A.M.A. as a wartime movement,, it was realised that only the threat of a strike would bring them to an appreciation of the seriousness of its inten-tions. The agitation with the Department of Defence for the rights of civil musicians would continue until the grievance was reme-died.

In a discussion on Radio Eircann, Mr. Red-mond said: "We should take oil the velvet gloves. It is an absolute disgrace."

The annual meeting of the Association's Actors' Guild empowered its committee to negotiate with managements for acceptance of the d ra f t contracts, which ask for mini-mum wages of 301- per week, and £ 3 10s. lor speaking parts of more than 100 words in respect of seasonal work, or £ 5 for a single play. Allowances for absence through illness, and for living expenses while touring also arc provided for. All artists at the time of engagement must be registered as ap-proved members of W.A.A.M.A., another clause specifies. *

Lord Longford was present, and the fol-lowing were elected to the Guild's Com-mittee: William O'Gorman, Cecil Forde, Denis O'Dea, Rita O'Dea, Sheila Carty, Sca-mus O'Heavy, Jack Cruise, and Michael Clarke.

CO M P A R I S O N S , they say, are odious, but there are exceptions to every rule, and between the social security plan of the Most Rev. Dr . Dignan,

Bishop of Clonfert, and that of Sir W m . Beveridge, economist and ex-British civil servant, there is a large expanse of common ground.

Both are imbued with the desire to r igh t some of the more glar ing social in-just ices t h a t the majori ty of citizens a re forced to suffer, simply because they a r e vict ims of an anarchic social system—a system under which all are presumed equal before the law, but which sentences mill ions to social insecurity for life.

Bo th are indebted for their ideas to Labour agi tat ion extending over many years, and both are outside the Labour Movement in their respective countr ies

HEALTH MAINLY r p H E firs t thing to be noted about the

Dignan Plan is t ha t it ne i ther pre-tends to. nor achieves the scope oi Beve-ridge. I t concerns itself mainly with hea l t h services, and its far - reaching pro-posals are at oncc a credit to i ts au thor and a n indic tment of the exist ing hea l th services in Eire.

F i r s t of all, the plan proclaims the prin-ciple of equality of s ta tus as f a r as medi-cal services are concerned. T h e poorest are to have the same r ights to all medical services as the richest, and where neces-sary a re to have their contr ibut ions paid by t h e State .

Dispensar ies would disappear a n d be re-placed by fully-equipped hea l t h centres with ful l- t ime medical men in charge. At the cen t res dental, optical a n d ophthal -mic services would be provided.

T h e plan calls for prevention as well a s cure of ill-health, and, like Beveridge, asser t s t h a t constant , secure a n d well-paid employment is the essential foundat ion for sa t i s fac tory social services. Conse-quent ly it is the duty of the S t a t e to pro-mote ful l employment by every possible means .

DEATH BENEFITS IT procla ims the necessity for a family wage, t h a t is, " a wage sufficient to

meet all essential needs of the home— main tenance , clothes, food, educat ion, etc."

Provision is made for the unif icat ion of all h e a l t h services, and a governing body with ful l powers under a Minis t ry of Social Services, while ano ther valuable item is the inclusion of workmen's insur-ance a n d mortal i ty benefits in the scheme.

T h e scheme is compulsory on all whe work for income, with a voluntary basis for o ther groups.

F ina l ly the p lan contains the impor t an t principle t h a t the trade unions a n d bene-ficiaries should be represented on the gov-ern ing body.

An avoidable weakness is in the low scale of cash benefits—and a n unavoidable one is t h a t the success of the plan de-pends on an increase in the s t a n d a r d of living a n d ful l employment. G. H.

De Vaiera Intervenes A GERMAN naval rating who was tried

^ » by a German naval court-martial while interned at the C'urragh, near Dublin, for striking an officer, was sentenced to death. Execution day was fixed provisionally.

Mr. De Valcra has intervened. The fate of this sailor, whose life is in the balance, has faced the authorities with a complex problem without parallel in this war.

Eire can find no clause in the Geneva Con-vention to cover it.

ARMY TROPHY FOR MULL1NGAR UNIT

It was a great distinction to win the trophy, as the competition was open to the whole Army, said Col. J. Flynn, Adjutant-General, when, at Columb Barracks, Mul-lingar, he presented the Army Medical Ser-vices Cup to the 4th Ambulance Unit.

Major-Gen. MacNeill and Col. McKinney, Director. Medical Service, were among the officers present.

Mr. de Vaiera questioned on Eire's Status

EMPIRE: IN OR OUT ASKS A T.D. DISSATISFACTION with a reply given by

Mr. de Vaiera, as to Eire's status in the Itritish Commonwealth of Nations, was ex-pressed by Mr. O. J. Flanagan (Ind.) in the Dail.

Mr. Flanagan had asked if Mr. dc Valcra was aware of a statement made in the Bri-tish House of Commons by the Under-Secre-tary for the Dominions—that Eire is part of the British Commonwealth of Nations; if this statement was correct, and if not, if he would consider a public denial of it.

Mr. de Vrlara said: "As I pointed out in the Dail on June 28th this year, during the debate on the estimates for the Department of External Affairs, our position in regard to the British Commonwealth of Nations is governed by, and defined legally in, two in-struments; one, an Act of the Oireachtas entitled Executive Authority (External Rela-tions) Act, 1936, Section 3 ( l i> . The other is the Bunreacht, which, in Article 29.4 (2), gives the Government ccrtain powers in the executive domain in regard to our external relations. These are bo'h public documents, and c:ui be read by anyone who desires to know the position.

"I do not propose to try to paraphrase them or to give any definition to the rela-tionship established by them, nave that eon-

tained in the words of the documents them-selves.

"I do not think it necessary to do so. nor do I think anything would be gained by atU-mpling it."

Mr. Flanagan: Arising out of his reply— the Taoiseach has not answered the question I put to him—I ask him if the statement made tha t Eire Is part of the British Com-monwealth Is correct, yes or no?"

Mr. de Vaiera: "The deputy will take some time to learn that you cannot always answer questions yes or no. The deputy can read the documents, and if he is not satisfied he can get the British side of the question and settle it with them."

Mr. Flanagan: "Is the Taoiseach aware tha t this is a question of national import-ance; tha t the people are anxiously looking forward to a statement to clear the air as this s ta tement made in the British House of Commons is concerned. I consider the reply most unsatisfactory.

Mr. dc Vaiera: "I can only say that this matter was settled back in 1936 and 1937 when the Constitution and the Article relat-ing to external affairs were passed. The position has not changed sincc, and we do not propose to change it."

Mr. Flanagan: "Then we arc In the Com-monwealth of Nations 1"

January, 1945 THE IRISH DEMOCRAT

NEW ZEALAND'S LABOUR LEAD H O M A I ^ T <

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J O I L<« By F R A N K O ' C O N N O R

J ^ O L L a w a y t h e s t o n e . L o r d , ro l l a w a y t h e s tony A s y o u d id w h e n last I d i e d in t h e a t t i c r o o m ;

T h e n t h e r e w a s n o f i re as we l l , a n d 1 d i ed oi cold W h i l e J i m L a r k in w a l k e d t h e s t r e e t s b e f o r e h e g r e w o ld . L a r k i n w a s a v o t i n g m a n t h e n , a l l s k i n a n d b o n e ; L a r k i n h a d a m a d m a n ' s eyes : I s a w t h e m t h r o u g h t h e s t o n e ; L a r k i n h a d a m a d m a n ' s vo ice ; I d o n ' t k n o w w h a t he s a id . I j u s t h e a r d s c r e e c h e s r i n g i n g in m y h e a d .

S o m e t h i n g s c r e e c h e d w i t h i n m y h e a d a s in a n e m p t y r o o n r I f e l t t h e l i g h t n i n g of t h e p a i n r u n t h r o u g h e v e r y b o n e ; I c o u l d n ' t e v e n s c r e a m , L o r d , I j u s t s o b b e d w i t h p a t n ; I d i d n ' t w a n t t o l ive , L o r d , a n d t u r n e d t o s l e e p a g a i n .

B u t w i t h t h e s c r e e c h e s in m y h e a d I c o u l d n ' t s e t t l e r i g h t . A t l a s t I s c r a m b l e d to m y k n e e s a n d t u r n e d to t h e l i g h t ; T h e n I h e a r d t h e w o r d s he s p o k e , a n d d o w n c r a s h e d t h e s t o n e A n d t h e r e w a s I w i t h b l i nd m a n ' s eyes , g a p i n g a t t h e s u n .

T h i n g s a r e m u c h t h e s a m e a g a i n , d a m n t h e t h i n g to e a t ; N o t a b l o o d y f a g s i n c e noon a n d s u c h a p r i c e f o r m e a t - ' N o t a b i t of f i r e a t h o m e a l l t h e l i v e l o n g d a y -Ro l l t h e s t o n e a w a y , L o r d , ro l l t h e s t o n e a w a y !

(With acknowledgements to the "Irish Times"

IS AN

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TRAVEL CHAOS —Continued from Page One.

was doubled by the r u n n i n g of a boat every week-night ins tead of only three t imes weekly. No a t t e m p t was made, how-ever, to improve mater ia l ly the service ca te r ing for Southerners .

This service is pa t en t ly inadequate at a n y time, but a t C h r i s t m a s it was simply ludicrous.

T h e authori t ies ignored the fac t t h a t I r i sh workers in Eng l and are dependent upon works canteens a n d small working-class cafes and lunch counters for most of their meals—in m a n y cases for all meals .

The vast major i ty of their English fel-low-workers have to p u t - u p with similar discomforts, though no t quite on a similar scale, unless they a re living away f rom home.

But at Chr is tmas a t least they were able to relax and enjoy the good things t ha t most good housewives h a d accumulated or garnered for the occasion. Those work-ing away from home were able to travel t he r e without restr ict ion.

For the un fo r tuna te I r i sh workers there was no freedom f r o m the routine, no relaxat ion, no break in the stereotyped d ie t of starchy, m a k e s h i f t meals, no relief f r o m the strain of exis t ing in war-time Br i t a i n under the worst possible condi-t ions.

One would think that the tremendous contribution of Irish workers to the war effort, particularly in response to in-creased demands of the war machine since

D-Day, would have won some concession from the powers that be, but any sign of this was conspicuous by its absence.

WHAT WILL BE DONE? I ^ U R T H E R M O R E , I r i sh workers will

find t ha t in 1945 their chances of get-t ing home have material ly lessened, not alone a t Easter, or in the summer months.

As f rom J a n u a r y 1st, the scores of thou-sands of Ir ishmen, f rom North and South, now serving under Field Marshal Montgomery are eligible for furlough. No one will grudge the boys their well-merited t r ip home, but the tax on the already com-pletely inadequate boat service will be heavy, with consequent less space for the war workers here.

Is any th ing going to be done about it? T h e answer, as f a r a s we are aware, is—

"Nothing." I t is worth noting t h a t the doubling of

the sail ings on the Heysham-Belfast route over Chr i s tmas was brought about by sus-tained pressure, both in Westminster and without , on the Nor thern Ireland authori t ies .

Why is it that the De Vaiera Govern-ment, so "correct" in its refusal to put a ban upon the right of Nazi war criminals to seek asylum in Eire, did not apply simi-lar pressure to secure a few days' "asylum" at Christmas for a fair proportion of its own nationals?

W a s this glaring absence of the cead mile fail te spirit dur ing the festive sea-son, an earnest of what we are to expect when the war is over and the numbers of Br i ta in ' s war factories close down?

| R E L A N D can be proud that an Irishman, born in the village of Garrison, near Inniskillen, is to-day leader of New

Zealand's powerful Labour Party, which, through its Labour Government, which came to power nine years ago, is not only maintaining its programme of social benefits unequalled outside the Soviet Union, but plans to extend them.

H e r r a i l w a y s a n d e l e c t r i c i t y s u p p l y a r e p u b l i c l y o w n e d , f a r m s a r e l e a s e d d i r e c t f r o m t h e S t a t e .

a n d m o s t

"Capitalist Trinity" i T the Waterford Corporation, Councillor

•-1- * Peter O'Connor again brought forward the urgent necessity for a post-war housing plan for the city.

Welcoming a report of the Borough Sur-veyor for the acquisition of housing sites, Councillor O'Connor said that "at the pres-ent time a large proportion of the city's population were housed in old. outmended, out-of-date, depressing a n d disgusting houses." "As far as post-war schemes were concerned, it was," he said, "his considered opinion, speaking as a human being, and not as a technician, there was no one in the government department with intelligence to see that it was possible for a man and wo-man to have four or five children, and need four or five bedrooms."

Councillor O'Connor said that future hous-ing schemes should be more modern in design to secure the best possible sanitation and living conditions and " that housing being one of their more important social problems of the present day, they should keep before them, and before others, the subtle enemy of housing progress—the capitalist t r i n i t y -rent, interest, and profit."

The proposal to acquire a number of sites was unanimously adopted.

NAZIS AND THE « STANDARD »»

^Vj"EWS that Lublin Catholic University rc-opened for the first time since the Ger-

man attack on Poland, is a stinging reply to the "Standard" and certain organs in Bri-tain which try to identify Roman Catholicism with National Socialism in the minds of the people.

There in territory occupied by the Red Army, which these banner bearers of the new inquisition detest, and under the con-trol of the Polish Provisional Government, which they represent as a set of godless criminals, a Catholic University starts freely to function, having been totally unable to do so under German occupation.

The principal of the University, the priest Slomkowski, said: "In five years of German occupation our professors could only teach the students in secret. Now, when a demo-cratic government has been established in Poland our university is again able to resume its work.

NORTHERN LIGHTS "by Red Hugh" U T E R E S this month's great thought " * from Northern Ireland. I quote a

news item in the "Northern Whig": "In the Ulster Commons, Mr. Grant, Minister of Health, implemented a promise he had made to the House to Include in the Hous-ing (No. 2) Bill a less objectional phrase than the working classes.' After a good deal of thought," he said, "I have selected the word 'workers'."

Reminds me of the argument between the pot and the kettle.

T H E Belfast Group Theatre, which has ' a company touring the Six Counties at

present, may cross the Channel to present a programme which will include Irish plays.

Let 's hope they brave V-bombs and come l o "Southern England" for a short season.

* * *

' 11HERE'8 a theatrical revival going on * in the Black North, by the way. Two

new theatres are being formed in Belfast and Oerry, and ColeraMe are to be In-cluded in plans for permanent repertory companies.

* # * T A C K BEATTIE, M.P. in two Parlia-

ments, seems determined to plough a lone furrow. He has sent in his resigna-tion to the Northern Ireland Labour Party.

The L a b o u r Executive has askod him (or • guarantee that In future he would observe both the decisions of the Executive and the Parliamentary Party. InatMd of givlnc this. Jack replied that a resolution of the West Belfast Labour

Party (his constituency), expressing con fidence in him and endorsing his action in refusing to subscribe to "humiliating restrictions" imposed by the Executive, was the only document to which his name would be attached. T A C K Beatt le 's resignation will come as

no surprise to those most closely asso-ciated with Labour politics. For some time Beat t ie tended to emphasise sectional in-terests r a the r than to fight for the full policy of the movement and to act as an individual ra ther than as a member of the Party. This had the effect of confus-ing Labour 's policy on many important questions. West Belfast Labour sides with the Par ty and not with Beattie.

Ar thur Greenwood, leader of the Labour Par ty a t Westminster, s ta tes : "If it is established t ha t Mr. Beat t ie has severed his connection with the Par ty we shall have no option but to withdraw the Labour Whip here." How about it, Jack? * * *

I -iROM Tyrone among the bushes comes confirmation of the recent criticism

by the Archbishop of Westminster that a discrimination against Catholics exists In Northern Ireland. The Unionists, who are in a majority on the Omagh Board of Guardians, by a strictly Party vote, have refused to adopt a letter from the Minis-try of Health urging preference in em-ployment to ex-Servicemen. The National-ists supported the letter.

Tire debate made it clear that the back-woodsmen did not wish to be bound to give preference to ex-Servicemen who might be Catholics. Now the British

Legion has taken up the matter. It is not only on religious grounds that

these true-blue "Loyalists" boycott their fellow-citizens. Labour men, Communists and in fact all anti-Unionists are penalised in the same way.

* * *

T I ERE'S a sidelight o n housing condi-' * tions in Belfast. Latest figures re-

veal that in Woodvale, Shankill, Falls and Court Wards over 50,000 people are living in overcrowded houses, while 5.000 live in houses unfit for human habitation.

T H E great majority of Northern Ireland ' factories employ fower than 200

people. Many have as few as 20 workers. According to the "Whig" : "There are

factories of one workroom, feebly lit, ill-ventilated, dingy and not over-clean, in which a score of young people crouch over machines, eat, their "piece" a t the lunch break in a corner and resume work unre-freshed."

Or. Hyde, President of the Industrial Welfare Organisation, in a recent visit to the area, declared: "Working conditions here are for the most part vastly Inferior to those obtaining In England.'' * * *

I 1 ERE'S a quote from Arthur Deakin, * General Secretary of the A.T. and

G.W.U., at the All-Ireland Conference of the Union: "It Is time to end the export of men and women from Ireland in search of work, as their brains and energy are needed at home."

T R E L A N D can be proud tha t an I r ish-man, torn in the village of G a r n s o n ,

nea r Inniskillen, is to-day leader of New Zealand 's powerful Labour Party, which, t h rough its Labour Government , which came to power nine years ago, is not only ma in ta in ing its p rog ramme of social bene-fits unequalled outside the Soviet Union, but plans to extend them. Her ra i lways and electricity supply a re publicly con-trolled, and most f a r m s a re leased direct f rom the State.

W h e n I interviewed Mr. Moohan in Lon-don, he revealed t h a t New Zealand's La-bour Government p l a n s to celebrate i ts t e n t h year of power th i s year by extend-ing their generous family al lowances scheme to include a weekly payment to mothers in their own r ight , in addit ion to the 10s. allowances for each child which she already receives. T h e Labour P a r t y plans a separate "celebration," the launch-ing of a daily paper to take the p ace of their present weekly.

Mr. Moohan attributed New Zealand's social progress "not to social credit theories but to common-sense based on in-creased production and equitable distri-bution. We have got a Labour Govern-ment with the will to do it,' 'he told tftU

Average Wage £6-2-3 T T E revealed ti iat the average wage in

New Zealand to-day was £6 2s. 3d., and agricultural labourers could earn £ 5 a week. All married m e n who earned £ 5 10s. or less, received 10s. allowance fo r each child in addition. War-time pr ices in New Zealand were s imilar to thost p re -vailing in Britain and food was a b u n d a n t .

New Zealand's housing problem h a d been largely solved by building s t a te -owned houses on capital borrowed a t 1 per cent, interest from the Reserve Bank, which is the country's State Bank. Renta l s for roomy, all-electric or gas a n d electric houses, complete with fitted ward-robes, cupboards and kitchen fitments, ranged from 17s. 6d. to 32s. For 25s. or 27s. 6d. a week the New Zealander could rent a well-planned two or three bed-roomed house with garden. The country had no "slum" problem. "I reckon you will never get a slum house so long a s there are plenty of windows and plenty of room," Mr. Moohan remarked.

While free school meals were not neces-,, sary because of prevailing wage standards, ^ and family allowances, Mr. Moohan said free milk was supplied to all children and free apples during the apple season. There was complete equality of educa^ tional opportunity from kindergarten t o the university.

War Pension £4-15-0 T H E country's post-war plans enaure * the well-being of her totally disabled

soldiers when they return. All will re-ceive a weekly pension of £4 15s.. free of tax, with additional allowances for wifa and children.

Mr. Moohan expressed concern over tha recently issued report of the Eire VocA-j tional Commission. "So far as New Zea^ land is concerned we would never have it," he said. " I could not imagine any trade union adopting it or agreeing to it. The Eire Government must start to elimin-ate poverty and unemployment and im-prove the standards of the people. Its job is to look after the people."

New Zealand's Labour Government is backed by a powerful and united Labour Party which works closely with the trade unions. Stressing the necessity for the maximum international co-operation be-tween National labour and Trade Union Federations, Mr. Moohan pafd tribute to the decision of the Eire T.U.C. to partici-pate in the forthcoming World Trade Union Conference. "We must have all trade unions working together in t h o post-war period," he said.

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THE IRISH DEMOCRAT January, 1945

IRISH DEMOCRAT KOOM 117. 1'KIMIIK n u i >i:.

l iu MII TH.\:>I1'TG\ ;;<v.\, LONDON » .( .1

All c ommunications to be -addicted lo the I ditor. Pat Dcoley. Telephone No.: Tel. Cl'Ot KALI.—Twelve Months i -

s i x Months •> -

WORLD COMMENT

Mr. Lemass "Unfreezes"

" A I R . SEAN LEMASS, Minister for In-dustry and Commerce, has an-

nounced an economic revolut ion for Ire-land. T h e r e has been no propaganda, no uprisings, no denunciation of the "alien" and, up to the time we go to press, no public declaration f rom Mr. Sean Mac-Entee that it is a plot f rom Moscow (which would, of course, be laid at the feet of Mr. James Larkin, Jun ior ) .

Other Government Ministers won't speak, and no wonder, for Mr. Lemass publicly admits the fa i lure of the eco-nomic policy upon which Fianna Fail h i therto rested, and which has been con-sistently operated sines they came to power in 1332.

For 15 years Mr. de Valera and his Ministers followed a policy of economic self-sufficiency wi th small scale industrial and agr icul tura l units, the whole based upon private property ownership; the poverty of the people and the safety valve of emigration.

# * *

\ FTcR years of val iant endeavour, Mr. Lemass new courageous ly declares

t ha t any improvement of t h e very low s t a n d a r d of living in I r e l and depends, not on these th ings , but on ou r abil i ty to sell our produce ab road ; t h a t t h a t produce is p r imar i ly t he produce of ou r agr icul ture , and he concludes : "If we can judge r ight ly the condi t ions of t he post-war world, they jus t i fy a conc lus ion tha t our p re -war indus t r i a l i sa t ion policy was very i n a d e q u a t e a n d . our p r o g r a m m e , mod-est a s it was, we did not complete ."

While we welcome all t h e s e professed i n t e n t i o n s and the necess i ty for the Gov-e r n m e n t to un t ang l e t h e c h a o s of Irish t i n s p o r t , why is Mr. L e m a s s content to Inave t he core of the d i sease untouched— L i v i n g inefficient o w n e r s h i p alone, and a ided by th6 t axpayers ' money , still reap-ing in the unea rned p r o f i t ?

T h e one a n d only a l t e r n a t i v e to f u r t he r economic a n d social cr ises in Ireland lies in a p l a n n e d economy w h i c h , while build-ing an ex te rna l m a r k e t a s a means of pay ing for imports , s a t i s f i e s t he needs of a n e n o r m o u s in te rna l m a r k e t , composed of t he poorly clad, poorly pa id and poorly fed, who cons t i tu te t h e overwhelming m a j o r i t y of the Irish people .

T h i s is where the c e n t r a l difficulty lies, f c r p roduc t ion alone is no t t h e be-all and end-a l l of a na t ion , as t h e cr is is of rela-t ive over-product ion, a l o n g s f d e under-con-i j m p t i o n in pre-war B r i t a i n and America a b u n d a n t l y test if ies.

Only wi th a p l anned economy and in-c reased s t a n d a r d s of l iv ing for the mass of t h e people can Mr. Lemass , at th is s t a g e in the world's deve lopment , rely c p o n t he complete s u p p o r t of the people in e x p a n d i n g produc t ion .

" I R. LEMASS t h i n k s Br i t a in may be - ' * "wil l ing to f ac i l i t a t e u s " in the new

policy, m o r e par t i cu la r ly s ince Ireland is a s u b s t a n t i a l credi tor . J u d g e d by Bri ta in 's c r ipp l ing a t t i t u d e to w a r - t i m e t rade in t r i sh foods tuf fs , th i s is ex t r eme ly doubt-fu l . Nor does Br i ta in ' s man ipu l a t i on of I r ish, Egyp t ian and I n d i a n credit-sur-p luses a t Bre t ton Woods s u s t a i n the at t i -tude of expec t an t m a g n a n i m i t y which Mr. Lcmass a p p e a r s to find ea sy to employ.

Br i t a in ha s blunt ly r e f u s e d to "unf reeze" Ind i an a n d Egypt ian credi t -surpluses , which , wi th Irish credi ts , a r e securely tied to s t e r l ing by bonds of f a i t h in Ireland, s i m i l a r to those which e n s u r e s tha t our r c o n o m y emula te s its c a p i t a l i s t counter-p a r t in "a l ien" Br i ta in . T h e s e are only two of t he "cha ins" it is r ega rded as ex-t r eme ly indel ica te to r a t t l e w i th in the pre-c inc t s of Leinster House.

" V 0 T W I T H 8 T A N D I N G diff icul t ies which a r e very grea t , Mr. Lemass , the out -

s t a n d i n g member of t h e Government , is to be cong ra tu l a t ed . T h e clarity with w h i c h he h a s discussed ou r economic con-dition may even s t i m u l a t e o t h e r s to dispel t h « political ambiguity s u r r o u n d i n g our constitutional position, which It appears to b« the delight of soma to perpetuate, re-g a r d l a a s of th« effect It may have upon tha

-auc««sa of Mr. tenant's proposals.

1- H E t r ag T even t s in G r e e c e have g y p p e d t he a t t e n t i o n of t h e e n t i r e

i v. orid. and cal led lor th .sharp c r i t i c i s m a n d c o n d e m n a t i o n ol' the a t t i t u d e ot the

I Rv.ti h G o v e r n m e n t in reV ion to Greek ; a .lai s. In a speech t i n t v. a s a d i sgrace-

ful exh ib . t ion of abuse a n d venom. P r e m i e r C h u r c h i l l a t t e m p t e d to j u s t i f y h i s policy of s u p p o i t i n g Greek r eac t ion . I n t he long run it will be f o u n d t h a t on t h i s occasion. Church i l l is b a c k i n g a n o t h e r loser in the s h a p e of P a p a n d r e o u , a n d the r e a c t i o n a r y forces he r ep re sen t s . T h i s is ce r t a in . R e m e m b e r the b a c k i n g given to Sosnkowski . Michai lovi lch . K i n g Victor E m m a n u e l , etc.. a n d how it h a d to be d ropped .

M e a n t i m e , however . B r i t i s h so ld ie r s a n d Greek p a t i i o t s h a v e paid w i th t h e i r lives in A t h e n s . At t he t ime of w r i t i n g t he b a t t l e c o n t i n u e s in the G r e e k cap i t a l a l t h o u g h the G r e e k Res i s t ance M o v e m e n t is wil l ing to t ry a n d reach a s e t t l e m e n t w h i c h will end t he f igh t ing a n d ensu re democracy . I t r e s t s largely on t he shoul-de r s of the L a b o u r M o v e m e n t a n d the fo rces of democracy in Br i t a in to see t h a t s u c h a s e t t l e m e n t is speedily r e a c h e d . T h e longer f r a t r i c i d a l s t r i fe goes on in Greece t he g r e a t e r is t h e d a m a g e d o n e to the Allied war ef for t a n d the more se r ious will t h e consequences fo r the f u t u r e become.

L A B O U R S A T T I T U D E r p H E Labour Movemen t in B r i t a i n h a s 1 been deeply shocked by t h e t u r n of

even t s in Greece . P r o m all p a r t s of t he c o u n t r y d e m a n d s have come f o r w a r d in-s i s t ing on " H a n d s off the G r e e k Libera -t ion Movemen t . " At the L a b o u r Party-C o n f e r e n c e a resolu t ion w a s a d o p t e d which called upon t he Br i t i sh G o v e r n m e n t mos t u rgen t ly to " t ake all n e c e s s a r y s teps to f ac i l i t a t e a n a rmis t ice w i t h o u t delay .and to secure t h e r e sumpt ion of conve r sa -t ions be tween all sect ions of t h e people who h a v e res i s ted the Fasc i s t a n d Nazi in-vaders , wi th a view to the e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a Provis iona l Na t iona l G o v e r n m e n t w h i c h would proceed to a f r e e a n d f a i r gene ra l elect ion as soon as p r ac t i cab l e , in o rde r t h a t t h e will of the G r e e k people m a y be expressed . " |

If Church i l l , a n d Bevin, w h o s u p p o r t s h i m , a re wise m e n they will p a y c a r e f u l heed to t h i s reso lu t ion a n d see i t is ac ted upon . T h e day is pa s t w h e n t h e y c a n still hope to m a k e t he people 's flesh c r e e p wi th t he rubb i shy n o n s e n s e a b o u t C o m m u n i s t band i t s , e tc .

MAIN ENEMY STILL T O BE BEATEN

r P H E war a g a i n s t Hit ler G e r m a n y h a s L still to be won. Th i s is t h e s u p r e m e

issue c o n f r o n t i n g the Allied N a t i o n s . On t he W e s t e r n F r o n t stiff fighting is being waged a n d a G e r m a n coun te r -o f fens ive h a s a p p a r e n t l y m e t with some m e a s u r e of success. In I t a l y l i t t le h e a d w a y is be ing m a d e in d r iv ing t he G e r m a n s f r o m the i r pos i t ions a r o u n d Bologna a n d f u r t h e r n o r t h . In H u n g a r y , where t h e R e d Army is a t t a c k i n g , t h e G e r m a n fo rces a r e being s m a s h e d back t o w a r d s the A u s t r i a n f r o n -tier, a n d by t he look of t h i n g s it won ' t be so very long before V i e n n a will h e a r t h e t h u n d e r of t he gups .

Some of the g r i m m e s t b a t t l e s of t he war a r e looming a n d t h e R e s i s t a n c e Forces of t h e people t h r o u g h o u t Eu rope a r e needed to assis t in b r i ng ing abou t t h e final vic-tory.

F R A N C O S DAYS N U M B E R E D I T becomes more and m o r e c l ea r t h a t * F r a n c o is finding it d i f f icu l t to con-t inue , a s the m o v e m e n t a g a i n s t h i m wi th-in S p a i n grows a n d develops. T h e un i ty achieved by t he S u p r e m e J u n t a , wh ich is l ead ing t he s t rugg le a g a i n s t t h e Fasc i s t r eg ime wi th in Spa in , ha s a l a r m e d t he re-a c t i o n a r y circles, both inside a n d outs ide Spa in , a n d moves a re on f o o t to h a v e F r a n c o rep laced f rom the t o p by a less obnoxious figure who would s t i l l however m a i n t a i n the Fasc i s t a p p a r a t u s in being. F r a n c o himself is res is t ing th i s , b u t sooner or la te r he will have to go.

(Cont inued a t foot of next C o l u m n )

Ernie Trory tells the Story of the barefooted exiles who arrived here in 1840 and says they came over

I N the firs: half of the 19th Century the soil of Ireland had been so

sub-divided as to product' a popula-tion consisting almost entirely of small tenants living in wretched clay huts, each trying to eke out an exist-ence on a potato patch scarcely large enough to provide a iamily with food for the winter. Because every agri-cul tural labourer wanted to bccome a tenant- farmer , competit ion for these small plots was so great that rent was in some cases quadruple tha t paid in England.

Accord ing to t he r epor t of t h e Poor Law C o m m i s s i o n on I r e l a n d , t h e r e were 75.000 a g r i c u l t u r a l p r o l e t a r i a n s m o r e t h a n in B r i t a i n despi te t h a t in G r e a t Br i t a in 32 mil l ion acres of l and were cu l t i va t ed and in I r e l a n d only 14 mil l ion. As a resu l t of

po t a toe s . So the I r i sh st i l l poured into E n g l a n d at t he r a t e of a b o u t 50.000 a year , p a c k e d like ca t t le a t 4d. a t r i p on the decks of eve ry s t e a m s h i p t h a t sai led to a n y E n g l i s h port . W i t h t h e a r r iva l .of eve iy new s t eamsh ip , by v i r t u e of the ad-d i t i o n a l compe t i t ion , t he w a g e s a n d con-d i t i o n s of t he Eng l i sh l a b o u r i n g classes c a m e n e a r e r to the I r i sh level.

S u c h were t he cond i t ions of compet i t ive c a p i t a l i s m . Whi l e E n g l a n d w a s becoming t h e " w o r k s h o p of the wor ld ." I r e l and was be ing c o n v e r t e d into a r e se rvo i r of un-skil led l a b o u r , to be t a p p e d by t he Eng-l i sh r u l i n g c lass a t will a n d used as a lever a g a i n s t the d e m a n d s of t he t r a d e u n i o n s for h i g h e r wages.

t L T H O U G H the I r i sh i m m i g r a t i o n de-- ' g r a d e d t he E n g l i s h w o r k e r s a n d a g g r a v a t e d t h e h a r d s h i p of t h e i r lot. by w i d e n i n g t h e eulf be tween t he workers

PACKED LIKE

Travel E V E R Y endeavour is just ly made to

ensure the comfort of Br i t ish fac-tory workers at holiday t imes and considerable changes must be made to end the t rave l chaos w h i c h denies thousands of our people the r ight to a visit home. Is it not possible, even on this mat ter , fo r our G o v e r n m e n t to raise its voice on behalf of those they sent away ?

h i g h r e n t s t h e t e n a n t s l i v e d l i t t le be t t e r t h a n t h e labourers , a n d 585.000 fami l ies , or 27 pe r cen t , of the whole popu la t ion , were comple te ly desti-t u t e a n d u n a b l e to live w i t h o u t public a s s i s t a n c e .

V r H E N Enge l s wrote h i s ce lebra ted social survey, " T h e Cond i t ion of

t h e W o r k i n g C las s in E n g l a n d in 1844," over a mil l ion I r i s h h a d a l r e a d y been lu red across St . Geo rge ' s C h a n n e l by the p rospec t s of s t e a d y work a n d good pay o p e n i n g up before t he r ap id ex tens ion of E n g l i s h i ndus t ry . Accord ing to Archibald Alison, a re l ig ious Tory , t h e r e were, in 1840. 120.000 I r i s h in L o n d o n , 40,000 in M a n c h e s t e r , t h e s a m e n u m b e r in Glasgow, 34.000 m Liverpool , 29,000 in Ed inbu rgh , a n d 24.000 in Bris to l . I ^ I N D I N G work to be s c a r c e r t h a n they 1 h a d been led to believe, a n d forced to

compe te for jobs in t h e E n g l i s h labour m a r k e t , these i m m i g r a n t s c rowded in to t h e less skil led t r a d e s a n d b e c a m e h a n d -weavers , br icklayers , p o r t e r s a n d jobbers a t t he lowest possible wages . T h e y occu-pied t he wors t dwel l ings in t he towns whe re they se t t l ed a n d were compel led to live u n d e r a p p a l l i n g cond i t ions .

W h o l e f ami l i e s were compel led to ea t a n d sleep in s ingle rooms. T h e y lived on a diet of p o t a t o e s a n d i n t r o d u c e d t he cus-tom, h i t h e r t o u n k n o w n in Eng l and , of go ing ba re foo t . T h o s e w h o rebelled a g a i n s t the s y s t e m took to c r ime . T h e o t h e r s were c o n t e n t to find a few h o u r s e scape to oblivion in d r u n k e n n e s s . r j t H I S deg raded ex is tence w a s p re fe rab le J - to s t a r v i n g in I r e l a n d , w h e r e for 30

weeks in t he yea r t h e r e w a s a s h o r t a g e of

CATTLE a n d t h e i r exploi-ters , it s t r eng -t h e n e d t h e bonds t h a t h e l d t he com-

m o n people toge ther . T h e fiery I r i s h t e m p e r a m e n t con t r i bu t ed a n e w spir i t to t h e L a b o u r m o v e m e n t a n d h e l p e d to in-sp i re t h e r evo lu t iona ry idea l s of t he Peop le ' s C h a r t e r . Sa id E n g e l s :

" T h e r o u g h egot i sm of t h e Eng l i sh bourgeo i s i e would h a v e k e p t its hold u p o n t h e working c l a s s m u c h m o r e f i rm ly if t h e I r i sh n a t u r e , g e n e r o u s to a f a u l t , a n d ru led p r i m a r i l y by s e n t i m e n t , h a d n o t in t e rvened a n d s o f t e n e d t he cold, r a t i o n a l Engl i sh c h a r a c t e r in p a r t by a m i x t u r e of the r a c e s a n d in p a r t by t h e o r d i n a r y con tac t of l i fe . "

r | 1 H E R E w a s r e s e n t m e n t , n o doubt , on -*- t h e p a r t of the E n g l i s h workers , w h o

b l a m e d t h e I r i s h i m m i g r a n t s , i n s t ead of t he E n g l i s h ru l ing class, fo r t h e de te r io ra -t ion in t h e i r condi t ions ; b u t Enge ls does n o t m e n t i o n t he po in t a n d o f fe r s no solu-t ion t o t h e problem in t h i s book. T h a t c a m e l a t e r , in the y e a r of t h e I r i s h f a m i n e , w h e n wi th a n o t h e r , h e dec l a r ed : " W o r k i n g m e n of all c o u n t r i e s , u n i t e ! "

(Continued from Next Column) T h e g r o u n d is b e g i n n i n g to b u r n u n d e r

t h e S p a n i s h F a s c i s t r eg ime . T h e S p a n i s h people themse lves will fo rce t h e decision a n d r e s u r r e c t S p a i n to t a k e i ts place in t h e world f ami ly of f r e e n a t i o n s .

S O V I E T - F R E N C H T R E A T Y ' T H E conc lus ion of t h e Sov ie t -F rench

T r e a t y , fo l lowing t he visi t of De G a u l l e to Moscow a n d h i s t a lks with Molotov a n d S ta l in , h a s given g r e a t sat is-f a c t i o n to d e m o c r a t i c fo rces everywhere . T h a t t r ea ty will he lp to e n s u r e t h a t the new F r a n c e will n o t be m e n a c e d by any f u t u r e G e r m a n aggress ion . Cer t a in sources h a d been b r u i t i n g t h e idea t h a t f u t u r e F r e n c h secur i ty could bes t be guar-a n t e e d by t he c r ea t i on of a W e s t e r n bloc. B u t t h e lessons f r o m w h a t h a p p e n e d a t t h e s t a r t of t he war h a v e been plain for all to see.

T h e c a t a s t r o p h e v ' i t c h befel l F r a n c e fol lowed logically f ' ' :n h e l ine of policy ca r r i ed ou t by the ,r of t h e pre-war p a c t which h a d ex i s rM , ween F r a n c e a n d t he Soviet Union . T h e n e w F r a n c e is d e t e r m i n e d t h a t n o t h i n g like t h a t shal l h a p p e n a second t ime.

H O U S I N G LAG A F T E R all t h e boos t ing a n d publici ty

1 * given to t h e P o r t a l h o u s e scheme, it h a s now been s t a t e d t h a t t he Por ta l s c h e m e is d i sca rded . Mr . D u n c a n Sandys , t he P r e m i e r ' s son-in-law, h a s s t epped Into P o r t a l ' s shoes, b u t he does n o t seem to make m u c h d i f fe rence to t h e p rob lem of the h o u s i n g s h o r t a g e . I n f a c t , t he Tor ies w i th t h e i r p r e s e n t m e t h o d s a n d policy will n o t solve t h e h o u s i n g p rob lem. Lord Wool ton h a s sa id t h a t i t Is n o use tel l ing the soldiers t h a t t h e r e will be houses for everyone when they r e t u r n a f ter the war, because there won't be. T h a t is a confes-sion of failure all right. B u t the people need houses. T h e y will get them If they press hard enough. J . R. 3 .

SURVIVAL ONLY the active par t ic ipa t ion of all

our Ir ish workers in the British T r a d e Union Movement can guaran-tee the i r survival on t e rms of equality in t he post-war years. T h e experience t h u s gained will be invaluable on their r e t u r n to Ireland.

Bu t of the many excellent reasons why Ir ish workers should be members of a T r a d e Union in Br i ta in , it is necessary only to men t ion a few.

Fi rs t , the question of self-protection in t he event of accident, victimisation, low wages or unsat isfactory working condit ions. Secondly, t h e need of Union backing and a "spokesman" when deal ing with the employers if a worker happens to be put on a 'charge' by some overbearing super ior or fore-m a n , or when making a c laim for sub-sistence allowance, etc. Thirdly , the necessity for Irish workers in Bri tain to show a spirit of unity and solidarity with the i r fellow-workers and by their actions, r e fu t e the ins inuat ions some-t imes levelled against t h e m by a hos-tile Press, tha i they a re politically backward and a source of cheap la-bour.

JR I S H men and women have played - a noble par t in the building of

the T r a d e Union and Labour move-m e n t in every country where they have lived a n d worked. Names like Bron-ter re O'Brien, Fcargus O'Connor , J im Savage, Tom Mooney a n d a host of o thers come readily to t he mind.

But there is ano ther reason why Ir ish workers should be organised. The a rmed struggle of the f r ee peoples of the world against Nazism Is nearing iUs victorious end T h e transi t ion period f rom war to peacet ime produc-tion may temporarily resul t In a dislo-cat ion of labour and unemployment , with consequent unrest amongst a sre-tflin of the workers. , r p o divert the discontent of the

' workers into safe channels, an unscrupulous employing class may attempt to "whip up" ill-feeling be-tween British and Irish workers and, as Hitler used the Jews In Germany, try to utilise the Irish In Britain as "scapegoats." This would divert the attention of the working man from the real to the imaginary cause of his dis-content.

W. BARR

5

JAILED FOR SINGING "EASTER WEEK yy

| ) AIS1NG t h e ques t ion of P ress ccnsor -I 1 sh ip in t h e Dail . Mr. w . Norton (Lab.) ..it Mr. L a r k i n had given not ice to ra ise :".iin m a t t e r s s u r r o u n d i n g t he p.iblic ap-ai for t h e exercise of . c l e m e n c y for

"h.f.'U's K e r i n s . who was s e n t e n c e d to st!i. T h e two po in t s he w a n t e d to ra ise

1 t he pol ice i n t e r f e r ence wi th t h e con-- • r . m i o n a l r i g h t s of the c i t izens a n d the

a b u s e of censorsh ip .

On Tuesday. November 21st. t e legrams •re sent to t h e Chai rman oi the Ker ry Co.

•."•'imcil and to the Chairmen of the Traiec. I „s ov (1 and Killarncy Urban Councils, f rom .. meeting of Kerry men and women resi-

in Dublin. The telegram read : Meet-...•j. of Kerry men and women resident in

O . i o h n . f ea r ing grave miscarriage of just ice. you spa re no effort save life of Char les

K' rms. condemned to die.'' t h e te legram was signed by 15 members .

;:.eluding Deputy Cormac B r c a t h n a c h and Senator D o n n e a d h Healy. two members of ' tie Government Party, who saw no th ing --'•ring in send ing the telegram. They saw :. only no infract ion of the law. but not • n the sl ightest impairment of the political : m i n e s of the party of which they were members.

These telegrams were accepted by the Post Office authorities, and were duly paid for; hul they were liol delivered.

t aid anybody in the House imagine tha t hi' founda t ions of the State were in any way

•hreatened, or the people placed in jeopardy V.' these te legrams?

T H E A D V E R T I S E M E N T S r I ' H E Ker ry Co. Council was promoting the J - petition campaign, and, in f u r t h e r a n c e

v: it. it was decided to hold a public mee t ing :n Dublin on November 27tli. In pursuance

. ot the ef for t s of the local Reprieve Commit-tee in Dublin to hold the meeting the follow-ing adver t isement was offered to all the Dub-lin morning papers and to the "Evening Her-a ld" ' "Kerin's Reprieve: Kerry Co. Council asks citizens of Dublin to a t t end public meet-ing in Mans ion House on Monday. Novem-ber 27ih. a t 7.30 p.m.. to join them in appeal for reprieve of death sentence on Char les Kerins ."

I t was wor thy of note tha t the Attorney-General ' s cer t i f icate of leave to appeal to the Supreme Court had been refused when the adver t i sement was tendered, so tha t there was then no other legal process open to Ker ins ' legal advisors.

On November 24th, the following adver-t i sement was tendered to all the morn ing newspapers : "Ker ins Reprieve: Reprieve sig-na tu re fo rms may be obtained at the Man-sion House." T h a t advert isement was s topped by the Censor .

Perhaps, t he most insolent of all was on November 22nd, when the Commit tee of the Kerrymen ' s Association in Dublin tendered the following adver t isement : "Meeting of all Kerry men and women resident in Dublin T ill be held in Clery's, O'Connell St ree t , on to-morrow (Thursday) , at 7.30 p.m."

< V-S", t^y, ts?-, ep-. IJ^J '.>»,

CUSTOM | T lias been the custom since the §

days of Terence McSwinev that people prayed outside the prison ; § wherein lay the condemned. They

\ prayed outside of Brixton Prison in a ^ foreign land. £

e His sisters prayed far him there in spite of the British authorities, but S to-day under the Republic which you £

:: claim you hav» set up, Mr. I)e Valera and his C. I. D. m e n pre- ^ vented them praying outside Mountjoy f

:: altliough there was no intention of i making a disturbance, of breaking the J

y law but to abide by the law, and n:it ^ even to stop the traffic.

You are the men who instilled these J ideas into the minds of men of his \ type—the deeds they are prepared to perpetrate to-day are the result of J

i these ideas. It is you who should have mercy and clemency more than <•

. anybody else. ^ I ISTENING to the Minister, it was § • J sufficient to raise the blood of any

honest man who believes in fair play, and who believes that an Irishman ^ should get a fair trial. WJien we read

:t lip our history of bygone days and of -. the ( umann na nGaedheal adminis- J tration, and think that such a day would dawn under a Fianna Fail ad-ministration, then we cannot forget }, the reign of Caesar in Home and the conspiracy that took place there.

Brutus was an exalted citizen and, because he was exalted, the conspira-tors thought that they could get away e

C «ith the slabbing of Caesar. .) KMBFRS of Fianna Kail think §

that because of another exalted e ;; M 1 citizen, high In the opinion of the

people—Mr. de Valera—they can get a war with anything they >do and that i"

^ he Is the Brutus of to-day a* was the r case in Rome in bygone times. Brutus \)

died on the battlefield because he was ^ led astray and the day may come

r when those who are trying to over-ride the law may have to pay the (C

\ same penalty as Rrutus paid, said MR. ^ CAFFERKY In the Dil l . §

IN DUBLIN I here u.is no mention of Kerins' name, or

ot (lie ixecution. or of reprieve, or jf an appeal for clemency; jet a simple advertise-ment of that kind Has something which, ap-parently called for the exercise of the wide ,uh1 despotic censorship powers.

A R R E S T S T H E Commit lee decided that they had . per-•L l o w . to rely on the exhibition of posters

und the clistribu'ion of handbills as a m e a n s if callme public a t tent ion to the effort to -ccurc clemency. They ordered posters, a n d so convinced were they tha t they were wi th in their const i tut ional rights, thai, they handed them to a large number of professional bill-posters to stick up for exhibition.

A number of them were accepted bj pro-fessional bill-posters and by members of the Committee and sympathisers, and. when they endeavoured to have these posters exhibited, they were pounced upon by the p ilice, who, in flagrant violation of their normal duly to protect the citizens, proceeded to take the posters belonging to these citizens.

Not satisfied with doing that , between Fri-day, November 24th and Sunday. Novem-ber 26th, twenty-one persons were arrested and lodged in the Bridewell. No charge was preferred against them, but they were com-pelled, against their wishes, to submit to having their fingerprints and photographs taken.

| -Whi le Alive I'll | I W i l i s ' E a x t e r W e e k ' M vf

T T E R E is an example of the attitude of the Censor. A letter dated

28th November was handed to the Jii papers. It said: W "A Chara,—I would like to ask the ^ people of Ireland, through your col-

umns, to join with me in a triduum of Masses and Holy Communions, beginning Wednesday, 29th Novem-ber, and ending on the 1st Decem-ber, First Friday, for a very special intention. Is mise—MRS. AUSTIN STACK." There is not a word about a Re-

prieve Committee there. Nevertheless, ^ that statement never appeared in any of the papers. I would like to know jjZ the reason why. On the day that any i s Government, any people or any indiv-idual in Catholic Ireland will rise up K to prevent a thing like that happen-ing, all I have to say is God help Ire-land. Our Constitution starts off in the Name of the Most Holy Trinity. ^

IWAS walking down the city—and | | remember, nobody told me this, w

An individual was going along the | 3 streets, a man of about 35 years of age. W singing "Easter Week." I saw him | S being approached by two detectives, w

S He was told to shut up. "No," he | 3 said, "while I am alive I will sing $2

g? 'Easter Week.' "Get along," they said. "3 shoving him along the path. The man

g? continued to sing 'Easter Week.' ^ He was immediately taken over and j -

shoved into the Bridewell. It is a bad SJ day for Ireland, the day the Irish -jg S people are prevented from singing vr fij 'Easier Week,' said Air. DoncMan gj (Farmers) in the Dail. ^

The pasters concerned were confiscated. These posters merely s ta ted : "Kerry Council isks \ou lo a t t end a public meeting in Ihc Mansion House on Monday. November 27th. lo appeal for remission of death sentence on Charles Kerms. ' ' There was no inf lammatory laruiiH'te. no inci tement, no dcrouaioiy ref-erence to the .Military Tribunal, lo the Fianna Fail Party or to the Government in thai poster.

1'he censor, apparent ly, was not satisfied with this invasion of the constitutional r igh ts of tile cit izens: and there was. apparent ly , still more room for invasion of these r ights .

A unman collecting signatures was ar-rested in O'Connell Street and charged with obstruction, and the police also visited sho|>-kecper* for the purpose of warning them of the consequences if Ili< > dared to accept pos-ters on their nriiale properly.

C A B M E N W A R N E D

I 1 H E Reprieve Committee then realising it was Hiii:ii"-i':ile lo " f t publicity by means

.,: a d i e r ' M i n e n l or poMer. endeavoured to • r ,i icu.fl; I e.iki r aniii'iiriciim ilia! 1 urnis for The ]enra \ e o! Ker.e.- could be at the \i;i ns ion H'Hr e

No sooner had llial outfit been mounted „,) a cab than a uniformed policeman in tunned the cab-driver tliat bis licence would lie taken from him. On the following day. when the committee secured another cab and loud-speaker apparatus, the call-driver was informed by a p dice sergeant that lie had Instructions to prevent him from taking thai apparatus ai ootid the city.

Mi Norton suid Ihnl at the m c d i n g held 111 I he Mansion House oil November 27th. t he spenkers ine'url ' f l t.hc 1 orrt Mavo-- of Dublin and the Lord Mayor of Cork, a deputy f rom the Fianna Fail Party, and a number of other deputies. There v.crc n'so members of local authorities and public citizens of stand-ing. The following resolution was jiassed — "That this meeting, summoned by the Kerry

County Council, and represcie ;ng tie (••:;-/ens ot Irish tommies, tug^s lilt Governmi i i i lo advise tin President to commute tin sen-tence of dea th passed on Charles Ker ins by the Special Criminal Court."

Newspaper representatives were present, but not a single word of that meeting was permitted to appear in the Press, because the t ensor was annoyed, and when he was annoyed civil liberties must give way to the Press Censor.

A N O T H E R R E F U S A L \ I R Norton said that on Nov. 28th. De-

puty Larkin tendered to the "Evening Mail" advert isement urging all Deputy Lar-kill's const i tuents to sign peti t ion fo rms at the Thomas Ashe Hall in 5 College Street Dublin.

On the following day Deputy Larkin was informed that the advertisement was stopped by the Censor.

Mr. Norton said he was reliably informed thai p ople who were completing ilie Rosary tin the side ol the road opposite to .Mountjoy Prison were hustled away by the uniformed Guards, a l though they were causing no in-terference with traffic, a small procession of men and women knelt to say the Rosary m O'Connell Street, but llic police cleared tile street.

The police used their batons, and some people were injured and taken to hospital. There had been vicious and unwarranted interference with the rights which the citi-zens were constitutionally entitled to exer-cise. Because these were the methods of tyrannical dictatorship, lie objected lo the manner in which they had been operated.

Minister for Justice Repl tes

f P H E Government , said Mr. Boland. were J - not preventing people f rom exercising their const i tut ional rights, but they were not going to tolerate any a t tempt of this organi-sation to rehabi l i ta te itself in this way. Any member tha t wished could see the number of petitions sent in. Huge numbers had been sent in. and the Government had considered them from every point of view.

It had been said that there were seventy-seven thousand names, but he understood tha t some of these were copicd f r o m the voters' register, and that some members of this organisat ion were engaged for a lull week in copying names f rom the register. They had piles of these names, all in the same handwri t ing .

" T O O L S " " l \ T E know about—what they call finan-» ' cial operations—£10.000 taken trom

Amiens Street Post Office and something in tile neighbourhood of £5.000 taken f rom Messrs. Wills on the South Circular Road. This is the way this organisation finances itself. We found on them plans for raiding banks.

! The Amiens Street hold-up to which the Minister refers, took place over five years ago, said Mr. Donel lan | .

I will not allow, so long as I am Minister for Justice, for tha t organisation, which we arc determined to crush if we can. to rebuild iUTir at the expense of the victim who has d.ed lor currying oul the orders it gave. I 'lope h." t is plain, and Depu.v Norton or

ot these !. he. people who a ie now ap-piircn'ly to be used as the toois of tha t or-ganisation—

Mr. Norton: Sir. the Minister is not going lo get awav with that .

Mr. Davin: It must be wi thdrawn. Mr. Bolar.d: I am not going to withdraw :t

at all. Mr. Norton: 1 say you will wi thdraw it. or

you will speak no more in this House, if you accuse me of being the lool of any organisa-tion.

Mr. Boland: That is just what you are. Mr. Nor ton: Tha t . Sir. is grossly unt rue . The Speaker: The Minister will wi thdraw

the expression. Mr. Boland: If the Chair orders me to

withdraw. I withdraw. Mr. Davin: You arc unlit lor your office

in saving it. M R . A I K E N

\ I R . F r a n k Aiken. Minister for the Co-or-dinal ion of Defensive Measures the

Minister responsible for the Press Censor-ship, said tha t Mr. Norton had charac te r -ised the Government action as tyrannical , dictatorial, coercive, and had said t ha t the un fu r luna te m a n who had died tha t morn-ing did not get a fair trial.

"We stopped advertisements. Mr. Aiken continued, e m a n a t i n g f rom I he Reprieve Association, because we are charged under Ihc Emergency Powers Act with the main-tenance of the State and the . 'ccurinu ol public order ."

Mr. Davin (Lab.) said that Mr Norton had made certain charges In detail. The Minister for Justice had made no a t t empt lo answer those charges, nor had Mr. Aiken or Ins Depa r tmen t .

Not Foreign Power \ | R De Valera appealed to Deputies and

' the public to support the Government in its fight against some people who were organising lo seize power. ' even though thev could Hot go to the Polls " These people are trying to bring about a situation of cliaos.

Ii the . a rc going to rely on force. T v .11 oc met by the full forces of the State .

"Methods that were used against a foreign Power ought not lo be used against an Irish Government," Mr. de Valcra s t a led .

"We are he re . " said Mr. de Valera. '. arry on as t he Executive, to see t h a i judgment of t he Court is carried out-is our 1 unc t ion .

' o

BRITISH LABOUR

GOES ALL OUT i R M E D conf l i c t in Greece d o m i n a t e d

- 1 all i s s u e s a t the a n n u a l c o n f e r e n c e of the B t i t i s h Labour Par ty , he ld in Lon-don las t m o n t h , and a t t e n d e d by m o r e t h a n 1.000 de lega tes .

I n d i g n a t i o n over the B r i t i s h Gove rn -m e n t ' s po l i c ies reached the i r c u l m i n a t i o n in a d r a m a t i c debate , where d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n over t h e " m i l k a n d wa te r" t e r m s of t he Labour P a r t y Executive's " e m e r g e n c y r e so lu t ion" provoked catcal ls , cyn ica l l a u g h t e r a n d groans . Even a l e n g t h y ad-dress by M r . Ernes t Bevin, M i n i s t e r of Labour , s p e a k i n g in his c a p a c i t y a s a m e m b e r of t h e Br i t i sh W a r C a b i n e t , f a i l ed to d i m i n i s h e i t h e r the d e n u n c i a t i o n or t h e n u m b e r of r o s t r u m critics.

Loyal ty t o Labour C a b i n e t Min i s t e r s , f e a r of p r e c i p i t a t i n g an i m m e d i a t e b reak -u p of t h e Coa l i t i on a t a c r i t ica l j u n c t u r e m the w a r a g a i n s t Fascism, a n d r igid Con-fe rence p r o c e d u r e , rul ing s t r o n g " a m e n d -m e n t s " o u t of order, finally secured a n o v e r w h e l m i n g vote for the Execu t ive reso-lution, t h o u g h the te rms of t h a t resolu-tion in n o w a y reflect t he s t r e n g t h of r a n k - a n d - f i l e ind igna t ion in r e l a t i o n to th is b u r n i n g issue.

T h e r e s o l u t i o n reads as fo l lows:— "This Labour Party Conference deeply

regrets t h e tragic situation which has arisen in Greece and calls upon the Brit ish Governmen t most urgently to lake all necessary s teps to facilitate a n Armistice without delay and to secure a resumption of conversa t ions between all sections oi the people who have resisted Fascist and Nazi invaders wi th a view to the es tabl ishment of a provisional National Government which would procced to a f ree and tair General Election as soon as pract icable in order t ha t the will of the Greek people may be expressed. This Conference looks forward to the establishment ol a strong and democra t i c system which will bring peace, happ ines s and reconciliation to our generous a n d heroic Greek allies."

U N E X P E C T E D T H E C o n f e r e n c e was m a r k e d by two un-

, e x p e c t e d "floor" victories, w h i c h will I have p r o f o u n d repercussions on L a b o u r ' s I policies f o r t h e next G e n e r a l Elec t ion .

T h e first " s u r p r i s e " c a m t in t he d e b a t e on e lec t ion policies, when a reso lu t ion , moved by R e a d i n g , was car r ied by a l a rge m a j o r i t y , a f t e r Mr. Noel-Baker, fo r t he Ex-ecutive, h a d unsuccessful ly a p p e a l e d lot-i ts w i t h d r a w a l .

Th i s r e so lu t i on asked t he Execut ive to m a k e it c l ea r t h a j the P a r t y ' s pro-g r a m m e a t t he ne*t election would in-clude a t r a n s f e r to public o w n e r s h i p of the l a n d , large-scale bui ld ing, heavy in-dus t ry , a n d all fo rms of b a n k i n g , t r a n s -por t a n d f u e l and power. T h i s e n s u r e s t h a t Labour will go to t he

polls on a ful l -blooded p r o g r a m m e . INDIA S U R P R I S E

f | t H E s e c o n d "surpr ise" c a m e in t he J - brief b u t s to rmy debate on Ind ia A

s t r o n g r e s o l u t i o n f rom the N a t i o n a l Un ion of R a i l w a y m e n was successful ly endorsed , despi te E x e c u t i v e opposition, d e m a n d i n g the i m m e d i a t e release of all pol i t ical p r i sone r s a n d the format ion of a n a t i o n a l g o v e r n m e n t t ru ly r ep resen ta t ive of t h e people of I n d i a . Brit ish L a b o u r is pledtred to fight f o r f r e e India .

A br ief a n d u n s a t i s f a c t o r y d e b a t e " t h r e w o u t " a demand , s u p p o r t e d by 40 reso lu t ions , ca l l ing for t he u n i t y of al l p rogress ive fo rces in Br i t a in to e n s u r e a Labour P a r t y major i ty m the n e x t genera l e l ec t ion .

IN CONTRAST "1 N s t r a n g e c o n t r a s t , however , to t he "iso-J - l a t i o n i s t " domest ic policy a d o p t e d for t he G e n e r a l Elect ion, the d e b a t e on in te r -n a t i o n a l po l ic ies urged f r i e n d l y b o n d s with a n d s u p p o r t for all r e s i s t a n c e move-men t s . c lose t ies with t h e ' C o m m u n i s t r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the Soviet Union , a n d an al l - in W o r l d In t e rna t i ona l .

F R A T E R N A L O E L E G A T E S

I^ R A T E R N A L delegat ions were p r e s e n t for t h e f i r s t time f r o m the Sovie t

Union a n d t h e g rea t t rade u n i o n o r g a n i s a -tion of A m e r i c a , (he C I O O t h e r f r a t e r -nal d e l e g a t i o n s included I t a l i a n . D u t c h , Belg ian a n d F r e n c h Socialists .

Brit ish Labour has endorsed a great drive for Social ism at home, and whole-heartedly supports the restoration of in-ternational Socialist organisations,

THE IRISH DEMOCRAT January, 1945

ed Luck H E past month has been poor in its number of race

meetings, but interesting by virtue of the quality shown at the two which were held at NAAS on 18th Nov. and 2nd Dec.

RAILWAY C U P TEAMS

i F T E R a s h a k y s t a r t in t h e S ige r son - < Cup g a m e in Dublin, Cork University k: . . : t ed itself t oge the r a n d easi ly bea t Galway University. Galway, t h r o u g h in-exper ience of b ig-game technique , l acked cohesion.

Corks Kerry back line— Lucy igoal , M a r t i n , McCar thy , McElligott, a n d a n o t h e r K e r r y m a n Burke, b lended well wi'.h tin.' Beckett Brothers a n d McGovern. C c : k ' s s h o w i n g in th i s game m a d e t h e m ar. even-money bet aga ins t Dub l in Un i -vers i ty in t h e final.

Queen's, Bel fas t , held Dublin well f o r h a l i - a n - h o u r . Macgu i re was t h e i r s t a r m a n . In t h e second hal f . Dubl in pu l l ed out a n d f ree-whee led home.

Dublin 's easy win m e a n t t h a t t h e y were f r e s h e r a n d f i t t e r t h a n Cork in t he final; yet a t h a l f - t i m e they led by only t h r e e p o i n t s to two.

I n the second ha l f , however, a s a g a i n s t Queen ' s . Dubl in got going. Lawlor a n d Mur ray a t mid-f ie ld domina ted t h e i r oppo-n e n t s a n d fed t he Dubl in f o r w a r d s t o re-plet ion, w i th t he resul t t ha t B r e n n a n n e t t e d twice a n d Mitchell once. T o w a r d s t h e end t he Cork men could scarce ly ge t t h e i r fee t out of the mud, so t i red were they .

On th i s s h o w i n g Dublin Univers i ty a r e f a v o u r e d to win t he Dubl in Coun ty t i t le , a n d t h e r e a r e e x p e r t s who claim t h a t t h i s t e a m would bea t a n y county in I r e l a n d .

'G.A.A.* Notes by G a e l

The list is impressive: Phelim Murray, Keenan, Kinlough (Roscommon), Colleton (Wexford), Duffy, Brennan (Managhan), O'Neill (Wicklow), Lawlor (Kerry), Mitchell (Galway), Devlin (Tyrone), Stokes (Limer-ick), Clarke (Meath).

The gate was a record one for a S igerson CUD match.

RAILWAY CUP r p E A M - P I C K I N G for the Rai lway Cup J- games is now in progress. A big sur-

prise in the M u n s t e r hurling selection was the dropping of the mid-field man, L y n c h . T h e reason is known only to those on the inside. Lynch h a s been acclaimed as the greatest and most artistic mid-field m a n at present in the game.

Mick Mackey is deemed worthy of inclu-s ion as corner-forward, in which posit ion he has shone of late. Quirke, full-forward, probably rivals Mick Mackey's record in the number of cup matches played. T i m e h a s slowed down both of them, but their lack of speed is compensated by their craft iness .

Cork and Limerick supply five each. T i p p e r a r y two. and Wate r ford two P. J . Quane , Clare, retains his place a s left full-forward.

Kerry dominates the Munster foo tba l l selection with e ight men, T ippe ra ry fou r , and Cork three They meet C o n n a c h t at Bal l inas loe on February 18th, and the Westerners consider that the home v e n u e gives them the three-point lead that will decide the i ssue .

The Le ins te r selectors, with so m a n y good men to call on, had a stiff task, and i t is rumoured that, when the list is pub-lished, many star names will be miss ing from the football selection.

The Leins ter hurling selectors have, ap-parently, and unlike the Munster selectors,

(Continued at foot of Next Column I

T h e N o v e m b e r H a n d i c a p o i 400 so Vs.. r u n o v e r 1 ! m i l e s in h e a v y g o -ing . p r o v i d e d a s p e c t a c u l a r f i n i s h of h e a d s , w i t h M iss D o r o t h y Paget e x -p e r i e n c i n g a w e l l d e s e r v e d c h a n g e of l u c k b y w i n n i n g t h i s v a l u a b l e p r i z e

ivvith t h e l i g h t l y w e i g h t e d W i c h l a w . S o l a r P r i n c e , w i n n e r of t h e C u r r a g h O c t o b e r H a n d i c a p , s t a r t e d f a v o u r i t e a t 3 / 1 a n d , u n t i l a f e w s t r i d e s f r o m t h e p o s t , a p p e a r e d t o b e j u s t i f y i n g f u l l y h i s m a r k e t p o s i t i o n .

He he ld a n a r r o w lead f r o m Drybob, t h e C a m b r i d g e s h i r e winner , a n d K i n g of t h e Jung le al l t h e way up t h e h o m e s t r e t c h , and a p p e a r e d a c e r t a i n winne r unt i l W i c h -law. b e a u t i f u l l y h a n d l e d by B. Duffy , came flying t h r o u g h the m u d to ga in t h e verdict on t h e pos t . T h i s five-year-old, by S a n d w i c h - B a n n l a w , was receiving 22 lbs. f rom Solar P r ince , on w h o m Morny Wing rode yet a n o t h e r m a s t e r l y race, a n d th i s was h i s first m a j o r success for some t i m e ; he s t a r t e d s e c o n d favour i t e a t six's. O u r old f r i e n d D a w r o s was in the p ic ture a g a i n and f i n i shed close u p f i f th .

O the r w i n n e r s a t th i s mee t ing were Shaun Ogue, who de fea t ed Pe lo rus a n d Some C h i c k e n in a two-mile h a n d i c a p hurd le ; H e i r d o m , who s tayed on well to take t he t h r e e - m i l e Leopards town H a n d i -cap C h a s e f r o m Double P l u s h a n d Nat iona l L a d ; a n d Dundela , who u p s e t t h e suppor t e r s of t he favour i te , Colomb ' s K ingdom in a close finish for t h e six f u r -long P r o u d s t o w n Ha nd i ca p . Poolfix m a d e a g rea t e f fo r t u n d e r the s tead ie r of 9 s t . 13 lbs., a n d w a s a good f o u r t h , b e h i n d Tol ta : w i th b e t t e r condi t ions u n d e r f o o t h e might well h a v e t aken the s take .

NAAS * F O R T N I G H T la te r we were a t N a a s

x * once m o r e , wi th t he going y ie ld ing owing to a s p a t e of ra in , a n d fields l a r g e enough to d i s c o u r a g e the mos t op t imis t i c . Bu t the well b a c k e d ones did come u p a n d sport was good. Aubrey Brabazon a n d Airy P r ince opened t h e . p roceed ings in spark l ing s ty le w h e n winn ing t he Maiden Hurdle by a h e a d a n d h a l f - a - l e n g t h f r o m Joe t he M a r i n e a n d Sweet Haven , a n opening fo r t h e winne r to come t h r o u g h only a r i s i n g 50 y a r d s f r o m t he post .

(Continued from Preceding Column) decided to sac r i f i ce exper ience for you th -ful speed.

The r e c e n t d i sp lay of the Dublin for-wards a g a i n s t Ga lway is responsib le for the inc lus ion of O 'Riordan , a Civil Ser -vant , a s f u l l - f o r w a r d , a n d C u m m i n s of t h e Univers i ty o n h i s l e f t .

Ki lkenny h u r l e r s made a bad s t a r t aga ins t W e x f o r d in the i r League g a m e . You th fu l i m p e t u o s i t y was near ly the i r u n -doing. In t h e second ha l f , however , a f t e r the n e r v o u s n e s s h a d worn off, t h e y sparkled a n d pi led score on score, m a i n l y t h rough t h e e f f o r t s of Lang ton , Kelly a n d Heffnan . Bai ley, Keogh a n d the Boggan Brothers s t a r r e d for W e x f o r d .

* H.Q. MOVED I AM asked to a n n o u n c e t h a t t he c r a d l e ' of I r i s h a c t i v i t y in B i r m i n g h a m , f r o m

which all o t h e r Mid l a nd I r i sh ac t iv i t i es developed, h a s moved i ts h e a d q u a r t e r s f rom W r e t h a m Road to t he Social Club, Holyhead R o a d . I refer , of course, to t h e H a n d s w o r t h I r i sh Social Club.

The m o v e is d u e to the i r old h e a d -quar t e r s b e i n g b u r n e d out. Las t yea r t h i s club not on ly fielded two hur l ing , one football a n d o n e camogie team, but r a i sed £200 for t h e G r e e n Cross.

GAEL.

T h e M o i e O 'Fe r r a l l s tab le h a d hopes of a double wi th W y k e h a m i s t , b u t Pelorus, ail expens ive f a i l u re on m o r e t h a n one occasion, w a s a n easy winne r of t h i s la te r race. W y k e h a m i s t f a l l ing a t t h e las t hu rd l e w h e n well bea t en .

S h a u n Ogue was grea t ly expec t ed to s u p p l e m e n t h i s win of t he p r e v i o u s for t -n i g h t bu t f o u n d one too good fo r h i m in the be t t e r backed Uplander , f r o m E. Park-inson ' s s table , w h o was a c o m f o r t a b l e win-ner of t he I n d e p e n d e n t H a n d i c a p Hurdle . Puc ka M a n , a P u n c h e s t o w n w i n n e r in the past , f in i shed th i rd .

T h e N a a s 'Chase saw He i rdom. Double Flush a n d N a t i o n a l Lad r e n e w i n g r ival ry . On 7 lbs. b e t t e r t e r m s fo r a h a l f - l e n g t h de fea t , Double P l u s h s t a r t e d a s l igh t ly be t t e r f avou r i t e t h a n He i rdom, b u t only j u s t p reva i led , benef i t ing f r o m t h e f a c t t h a t G o l d e n View I I swerved bad ly on l a n d i n g over t h e l a s t fence w h e n d i spu t -ing the lead w i t h He i rdom, a n d e a c h lost m a n y l eng th s . Double F lu sh , s e e m i n g l y w i t h o u t a c h a n c e , was able to c o m e un-h i n d e r e d f r o m beh ind , a n d f o r c e f u l l y r id-den by M. Browne, ga ined w h a t m u s t be cons idered a lucky verdic t by a l e n g t h .

Mr . J . C. L a n d y ' s G a l w a y H u r d l e win-ner , Erinox, h a s been a long t i m e w i n n i n g a s t eep lechase , b u t m a d e n o m i s t a k e in t h e Press ' C h a s e for ma idens , w h e n scor-ing c o m f o r t a b l y f r o m L a s t B a t t l e a n d L a r g o over two miles,

S U C C E S S E S ] T m a y be of i n t e r e s t for r e a d e r s to know • to w h o m h a v e gone the g r e a t e s t n u m -ber of successes d u r i n g t he p a s t year . A m o n g s t owners , Mr. Jos . M c G r a t h h e a d s the l is t for a t h i r d successive yea r , wi th M a j o r M c C a l m o n t second a n d M i s s P a g e t th i rd . R. F e a t h e r s t o n h a u g h l e a d s t he t r a ine r s , fol lowed by M. C. Col l ins a n d C. A. R o g e r s ; whi le Morny Wing, f o r the s e v e n t h t ime in e igh t years , h a s r i dden t he g r e a t e s t n u m b e r of w i n n e r s (47), being 18 a h e a d of Aubrey B r a b a z o n a n d J. Eddery .

T h e provis iona l l is t fo r 1945 c o n t a i n s 92 f ix tures , a n d we do not d o u b t t h a t r a c i n g e n t h u s i a s t s will find a s m u c h to i n t e r e s t a n d e n t e r t a i n t h e m in t he New Y e a r a s they h a v e h a d in 1944.

' ^ i '.^i ts^ '-i^

| CAN YOU HELP ? I E very m u c h WE very m u c h r eg re t

N O M B R I L expec ts to t h a t

leave for a b r o a d shor t ly , t h e r e f o r e , t h i s will be t h e las t of his ser ies of rac -ing no tes . We t ake t h i s oppor -t u n i t y of t h a n k i n g h i m f o r h i s sp lend id work, which, with t h o s e of our r e g u l a r m o n t h l y c o n t r i b u t o r s , is u n p a i d . Again we appea l to ou r r e a d e r s f o r help . Will a n y o n e w h o would l ike to c o n t r i b u t e R a c i n g Notes for " I r i s h D e m o c r a t " p lease wr i t e immed ia t e ly to t he Edi to r , " I r i sh D e m o c r a t , " P remie r House , 150, S o u t h a m p t o n Row, London , W.C.1.

B U G L E I I I

A fine c o l l e c t i o n of s h o r t s t o r i e s a n d v e r s e b y m e n in t h e f o r c e s . M a n y ' o f t h e w r i t e r s a r e u n k n o w n , b u t t h e h i g h s t a n d a r d s e t b y A l u n L e w i s , J o h n P u d n e y , J a c k A i s t r o p , e t c . . i s m a i n t a i n e d t h r o u g h o u t .

183 p a g e s - P o s t P a i d 6 / 6 d .

C K M T B A L H O O K S L I M I T E D 2 - 4 P A R T O M S T R E E T - L O N D O N , W . C . I

t^ i ti^l t TI feSl t^, t^ l t ^ , t T-,

Farm Workers' Dispute Ends The dispute on t he f a r m of Mr. P. Belton

a t Killlney came to an end when Mr. P. Belton int imated to the Workers' t ln ion of Ireland t ha t he was prepaerd to en te r into negotiations.

(Continued from Next Column)

m e a s u r e of c o m p e n s a t i o n f o r t h o s e w h o w i l l b e d e p r i v e d of t h e u n e m -p l o y m e n t b e n e f i t w h i c h t h e y h a v e a c -t u a l l y p a i d f o r o u t of t h e i r w e l l -e a r n e d p a y o r w a g e s . T h i s m a y b e t h e l a w a s r e s t i n g o n o f f i c i a l r e g u l a -t i o n s . R u t i t i s n o t j u s t i c e .

T h e r e is, in t h e v i e w of G e n e r a l S i r H u b e r t G o u g h a n d t h e C o m m o n -w e a l t h I r i s h A s s o c i a t i o n , a n u n a n -s w e r a b l e c a s e f o r s p e c i a l m e a s u r e s t o m e e t t h e e m e r g e n c y . I T m u s t b e r e m e m b e r e d t h a t t h e s e

f i g h t e r s a n d w o r k e r s , o n r e t u r n -i n g t o E i r e , w i l l h a v e n o p r e f e r e n c e t h e r e f o r s u c h j o b s a s a r e g o i n g a s t h e E i r e d e f e n c e f o r c e s n a t u r a l l y h a v e first c l a i m . A n d it m u s t b e r e m e m -b e r e d t h a t t h e p o l i c y of t h e M i n i s t r y of F o o d h a s r e s u l t e d in c u t t i n g d o w n A n g l o - I r i s h t r a d e t o t h e b o n e a n d t h a t c o n s e q u e n t l y t h e r e a r e f a r f e w e r j o b s t h a n t h e r e u s e d t o b e i n E i r e .

Unemployment Insurance

j ^ E R I O N S p r o b l e m s w i l l a r i s e v. ; t h e d e m o b i l i s a t i o n a n d r e p a t ;

t i o n of t h e I r i s h p e o p l e s e r v i n g v ; t h e B r i t i s h a r m e d f o r c e s o r in c iv i l : , . • l a b o u r i n B r i t a i n d r a w n e a r . T h i s si j e c t i s e n g r o s s i n g t h e a t t e n t i o n of l C o m m o n w e a l t h I r i s h A s s o c i a t e :. w h o s e P r e s i d e n t . G e n e r a l S i r H u b < G o u g h . is t a k i n g a c t i v e s t e p s in 1 b m a t t e r , f o l l o w i n g t h e r e c e n t r e t t i n f r o m I r e l a n d of C a p t a i n H e n r y H a r r i s o n , w h o h a s c o n s u l t e d t h e B r i t i s h L ( g i o n i n I r e l a n d a n d o f f i c i a l G o v e r n , m e n t c i r c l e s i n D u b l i n a s t o t h e e x a c i p o s i t i o n . T h e A s s o c i a t i o n a t t a c h e s im-m e n s e i m p o r t a n c e t o i t n o t o n l y a-f a l l i n g d i r e c t l y in t h e l i n e of i t s mis-s i o n t o a t t e m p t a n i m p r o v e m e n t o! A n g l o - I r i s h r e l a t i o n s " b y m e t h o d s of c o n c i l i a t i o n a n d r e c o n c i l i a t i o n " b u t a s i n v o l v i n g f a i r p l a y a n d s i m p l e e le-m e n t a r y j u s t i c e t o t h o s e I r i s h p e o p l e w h o h a v e g i v e n i n v a l u a b l e s e r v i c e tc; t h e w a r e f f o r t d u r i n g t h e l a s t f iv i y e a r s .

T h e n u m b e r s c o n c e r n e d a r e g r e a t . E a c h m a n a n d w o m a n of t h e s e l a r g e n u m b e r s is d i r e c t l y a n d p e r s o n a l l y in-t e r e s t e d — a s t o t h e i r j o b s a n d t h e i r s o c i a l s e c u r i t y — i n t h e c l a i m w h i c h t h e C . I . A . i s p u t t i n g f o r w a r d o n t h e i r b e h a l f .

T h e r e is n o l o n g e r a n y d o u b t a s to t h e n u m b e r s of t h e I r i s h f r o m E i r e in t h e A r m e d F o r c e s . C a p t a i n H e n r y H a r r i s o n r e p o r t s , o n t h e a u t h o r i t y of G e n e r a l S i r W i l l i a m H i c k i e a n d t h e B r i t i s h L e g i o n i n I r e l a n d , t h a t t h e off i -c i a l l i s t s of n e x t - o f - k i n t o b e n o t i f i e d i n e a s e s of c a s u a l t i e s s h o w o n e h u n -d r e d a n d s i x t y - f i v e t h o u s a n d n a m e s i n E i r e i t s e l f , a n d t h e r e a r e , of c o u r s e , v e r y m a n y w h o a r e n o t a t p r e s e n t r e s i d e n t i n E i r e .

T h e n u m b e r s of E i r e - b o r n c i v i l i a n w o r k e r s i n B r i t a i n is e v e n g r e a t e r — n o t f a r s h o r t of t w o h u n d r e d t h o u -s a n d — a n d t h e f i n a l o f f ic ia l figures w i l l s h o r t l y b e a v a i l a b l e . T h e r e i s n o t . t h e r e c a n n o t b e , a n y q u e s t i o n of t h e i n v a l u a b l e s e r v i c e s w h i c h h a v e b e e n r e n d e r e d t o t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s ' w a r e f f o r t b y t h e s e I r i s h f o l k — 3 6 5 , 0 0 0 o r m o r e of t h e m — w h i c h r e p r e s e n t a n a s t o n i s h i n g l y l a r g e p e r c e n t a g e , v o l u n -t a r i l y s e r v i n g , o f a t o t a l p o p u l a t i o n of l e s s t h a n t h r e e m i l l i o n s . " J p H E p o i n t i s t h i s : A l l t h e s e I r i s h

fighters a n d w o r k e r s w i l l be , w h e n d e m o b i l i s e d o r d i s c h a r g e d , in f u l l b e n e f i t u n d e r t h e u n e m p l o y m e n t i n s u r a n c e l a w s of B r i t a i n . A l l h a v e p a i d f o r u n e m p l o y m e n t i n s u r a n c e b y t h e w e e k l y s u m s d e d u c t e d f r o m t h e i r p a y o r w a g e s . A l l of t h e m w h e n r e -p a t r i a t e d t o E i r e w i l l f o r f e i t t h a t b e n e f i t w h e t h e r t h e y a r e v o l u n t a r i l y o r c o m p u l s o r i l y r e p a t r i a t e d . T h e i r in-s u r a n c e a g a i n s t u n e m p l o y m e n t l a p s e s if t h e y a r e n o t in B r i t a i n t o d r a w it T h i s is d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h e l a w a s t o N a t i o n a l H e a l t h I n s u r a n c e a s t o w h i c h t h e r e is a r e c i p r o c a l a g r e e m e n t b e -t w e e n t h e t w o c o u n t r i e s t o p r e v e n t f o r f e i t u r e of s i c k n e s s b e n e f i t b y t h o s e w h o p a s s f r o m o n e c o u n t r y t o t h e o t h e r . T h e r e i s n o s u c h r e c i p r o c a l a g r e e m e n t a s t o u n e m p l o y m e n t i n s u r -a n c e . A n d i t i s u n d e r s t o o d t h a t t h e M i n i s t r y of L a b o u r in B r i t a i n h a s t u f m e d d o w n a s u g g e s t i o n t h a t s p e c i a l a r r a n g e m e n t s s h o u l d b e a d o p t e d a t t h e p r e s e n t j u n c t u r e t o p r e v e n t w i c k -s p f b a d h a r d s h i p b y p r o v i d i n g s o m e

(Continued at foot of Preceding Col.)

tci l W l t T)

| FRIDAY NIGHT IN HANDSWORTH § IS IRISH NIGHT IN BIRMINGHAM

§ 5 CEILIDHE

DANCING § S O C I A L

ST. FRANCIS INSTITUTE, WRETHAM ROAD, HANDSWORTH

(Nr. HOcklcy Brook) Commences 7 p.m.

Oantre for O.A.A and »U Irtah 5 activities. \

THE IRISH DEMOCRAT

MI»I1T. MM x n A SEXSE edited by .

Connolly in War Garb

. . l - . i l w o r k e r s in B r i t a i n a n d l i e -i mil w h o , d u e to p a p e r s h o r t a g e ,

h e m d e p r i v e d oi' t h e w r i t i n g s of i,-, C o n n o l l y d u r i n g t h e w a r , will , ;;pu- P a l Doolev ' s new p a m p h l e t , ;

1 \!>S:K i l l ! BAN.NKK Ol CON- « .{(1.1.V" ( p r i c e d 6d.) I n t h e s e 24 ji

, »v h a v e a c lea r , s i m p l y w r i t t e n . J .-. i tn t i l ie a n a l y s i s of C o n n o l l y ' s " l . a - ^ .,.;;,- ill I r i s h H i s t o r y . "

pamphlet, which should lie the ,„ lor discussions among readers of \

Irish Democrat" and members of % Connolly Association, reveals the J

I,..ruing, the simplicity of genius of a § :;ii.il Irish socialist revolutionary. j-j ONNOLLV'S analysis of Irish his- S ' lory was that of a scientific social- § i.t With ruthless precision, cum- c pounded with a calm scientific search- J ins genius, Connolly studied Irish his-l,]i-v. and makes quite clear that the ^ historical development of Irish history J i. governed primarily by economic eon- ^ d it ions, or, as Pat Dooley puts it in his ? pamphlet, "he firstly examined the ^ prevailing method of economic produc- § tion, and exchange, and the social or- (T sanisations arising from that basis: in J .hurt how man earned his living. A wUCONDLY, foremost in his consid- c

. 1 cration of events, was the ques- .v lion which class was involved—the

' « nking class, or the ruling class, and KJ I i , i h did the struggle of change affect J the working class, quite apart from § purely national considerations." K

In the closing chapter of his pamph-let. I'at Dooley says that studying Uie § work of Connolly is valueless if we do Kj not apply h i s . m e t l p d to his present- i day problems. §

JT is no exaggeration to say that I'at Dooley has added to the store of

Irish revolutionary literature, and to S make the reader eager to delve into its §

; pages, the foreword written by Mr. T. o A. Jackson, serves as a great tonic. S

P. J. C L A N C Y . §

L A G A N A Collection of Ulster

Writings (J. A i k e n & Co.) 2 /6 r T H E second col lec t ion of U l s t e r wr i t i ngs . J- has fo l lowed t h e first in less t h a n a

year. I s i t t h e wish being f a t h e r to t h e thought to s a y i t is now well e s t a b l i s h e d and a t l a s t U l s t e r h a s f o u n d a l i t e r a ry mouthpiece?

| N assess ing t h e l i t e ra ry va lue of bo th ' collections i t would be r a s h to say t h e word " r e n a i s s a n c e " too loudly. Yet , con-sidering t h e b a r r e n l i t e r a ry h i s t o r y of Ulster, we c a n , w i t h o u t p r e s u m p t i o n , breath it, s o t t o voce. W h a t is h a p p e n i n g in Ulster is a s y m p t o m of w h a t is h a p -pening e l sewhere . People e v e r y w h e r e a re writing. I t i s a by-p roduc t of t h e w a r ; and for us al l a m a j o r a n d vi ta l by-pro-duct. for do we n o t all look f o r w a r d to a n age wherein a l l people will p a r t a k e in t he imaginative a n d crea t ive life, in c o n t r a s t to the p r e s e n t w h i c h p roduces a "Shel ley ," a "Rembrand t , " or a " W r e n " in t h e mids t of a soulless a n d unc rea t i ve soc ie ty? [ T would be inadv i sab l e to m e a s u r e too

closely t h e g r o u n d ga ined or los t s ince the last col lect ion. T h e r e a r e obvious d i f -ferences in qua l i t y . One e l e m e n t , how-ever. r ema ins s tab le , a t leas t in t h e prose fiction, the cho ice of ma te r i a l . B u t with-in this s tab i l i ty I feel t h e r e lies a h idden danger, the d a n g e r of young U l s t e r wr i t e r s becoming Uls t e r musc le -bound . T h e in-ward eye m u s t , if d e v e l o p m e n t is to t ake place, be t u r n e d to f u r t h e r fields. A literary border is a s d i s a s t r o u s a s a politi-cal one.

V ORTH A F R I C A N R E T R O S P E C T . " * by P a t r i c k M a y bin, keeps t he j o u r n a l

in touch w i th t he war , w h i c h o the rwise does not seem to imp inge on t h e life of hose young U l s t e r wr i te rs . \ >S 111 the prose, t h e poe t ry va r i e s con-

sidcrably; f r o m the grace of "Mino-tii :i bv J o h n Hewi t t , a n d "S t . F r a n c i s and the Bi rds ." by Roy M c P a d d e n . to t he triteness of t h e p o e m s of J o h n I rw in , a n d

•onnct. " M a g n o l i a in Moon l igh t , " by Richard Rowley. J a m e s MacKin l ey , in a n Weill nt p o e m — " T h o u g h t s on Yea t s"— hit", pin-pointed t he weaknesses a n d pre-

idin-s of Y e a t s w i t h precise dex te r i ty . ' ^ M O K E C L O U D S IN T H E LAGAN

VALLEY," by Den i s I r e l a n d , is a Wl ' ' on B e l f a s t in r e t rospec t , seen Hun h ilie eyes of a wri ter whose prose

' - 'hut. t e x t u r e of poet ry wh ich never J'11'" o c h a r m a n d please. ( )TI1ER c o n t r i b u t o r s inc lude Robe r t

• 'Mi-run, S t e p h e n Gi lbe r t , M a u r i c e Craig a n d J o h n M a n i f o l d .

T V n x Uls t e r r e a d e r s k ind ly n o t e t h a t v c o n t r i b u t i o n s to " L a g a n " shou ld be

f»»t to J o h n Bovd B a l l y m a c a s h , L i s b u r n .

J. R E I D .

EAST AND S T PEOPLE'S ART T H E D R A G O N B E A R D S V E R S U S T H E B L U E P R I N T S — H s i a o Ch ' i en ( P i l o t P ress ) , 4 /6, r T H E S E good-humoured ant! p •nru'.uiiisi

1 m e d i t a t i o n s on the future of h i s srea'. a n d t r o u b l e d country , f r o m t h e pen of a n e m i n e n t C h i n e s e journa l i s t , c o n t a i n much t h a t c o n c e r n s I re land.

T w o of these four essays a n d speeches— " S o m e R e f l e c t i o n s on t he M a c h i n e " a n d " T h e D r a g o n Beards v e r s u s t h e Blue-p r i n t s " a r e ol' p ro found topica l i n t e re s t . Mr . C h ' i e n is ?. loquacious a n d s t i m u l a t i n g gu ide w h e n surveying the t u m u l t o u s social edd i e s w h i c h have a r i sen f r o m the recen t a n d c o m p l e x process, loosely t e r m e d the W e s t e r n i s a t i o n of China .

He a lso q u o t e s to a p u r p o s e : "To know the West without knowing

China i.s to break one's hear t , To know China without knowing the

West i.s to be deaf and dumb. ' I n s h o r t , h e asks us by impl ica t ion—

M r . C h ' i e n is f a r too u r b a n e to prose ly t i se —as W e s t e r n e r s to cons ider no t only t h e bene f i t s of science, but a l so i ts p o t e n t i a l d a n g e r s if socially u n h a r n e s s e d .

He a d v o c a t e s two basic s a f e g u a r d s in a n y soc ie ty : a l iberal e d u c a t i o n a n d a n a d e q u a t e s y s t e m of social se rv ice ; the f i r s t to e n s u r e t h a t the ind iv idua l is more t h a n a cog in t h e world mach ine , t he second to see t o i t t h a t no ind iv idua l is a t t h e m e r c y of a n o t h e r . We m a y h a v e "pol i t i -ca l t r a f f i c l i e h t s " in t he f o r m of a n en-l i g h t e n e d cons t i tu t ion , or we m a y choose " e c o n o m i c t ra f f ic l ights ." by con t ro l l ing p r i v a t e cap i t a l .

H e n o t only a rgues s u p e r b l y well, b u t e n u n c i a t e s courageously. W h a t he de-s i res fo r New C h i n a we c a n echo in t h e i n t e r e s t s of to-morrow's I r e l a n d , t h a t s h e will " t a k e al l t he risks, b r ave all t he im-poss ib i l i t i e s to outwit t h e c rue l ty of n a t u r e a n d t h e bonds of o u t w o r n ins t i -t u t i o n s . "

T h e p u b l i s h e r s mus t be w a r m l y compl i -m e n t e d fo r t he technical excel lence of t h i s book.

T H E S T O R Y O F T O O L S — G o r d o n Chi lde (Cobbet t ) 1/6 ' " T H I S a d e q u a t e l y i l lus t ra ted booklet will -*- h a v e a n equal appea l to bo th i ndus -

t r i a l c r a f t s m e n a n d a g r i c u l t u r a l workers . I t t r a c e s t h e his tory a n d social conse-q u e n c e s of t h e evolution of tools f r o m t h e d a y s w h e n every avai lable m e m b e r of a g r o u p h a d to sha re d i rec t ly a n d act ively in t h e j o b of wrest l ing f r o m n a t u r e a b a r e su f f i c iency to keep society alive, a n d a l l c o n s e q u e n t l y s h a r e d in t he p roduc t . T h e 45 p a g e s w h i c h comprise t h i s e rud i t e a n d vivid a c c o u n t , provide m o r e abso rb ing r e a d i n g t h a n m a n y a " t h r i l l e r " five t i m e s t h e pr ice . Buy it and see f o r yourself .

C O M M O N W A N A N D C O L O N E L B O G U S — M i c h a e l B a r s i e y (P i l e . P r e s s ) 7 6

T H 1 H author's m e w on unv is ui

' HATEVER our \ • ' on l lit' !" live subjee: i ! S m i u Art iai. .

r. no". ' n |>~>.vutv tiirr<• : (i -.in . i,:; (lie K i. poll'.".

In id nhu> ihonsi :c h a s i n ills.

'.'o m a d e a n o u t s t a n d i n g en-lie i m p a i r s a rich var ie ty

ry. verbal ly a n d visual!--, wi th l e r n y . Unfa i l i ny in his par -

even a r e

" e m r w sei .•*atirist-rum-! Hi- would hs> tomolocisis h <u humbuftfee sup reme dexi l is tr i sh ip of iho " C o m m o n Man while wc l a u g h uproar ious ly \ warned .

Tins is BarsPu 's t h i rd book hold ing u p the mi r ro r ol s a t i r e to t he m a c h i n a t i o n s of the "RHzkr ieg . the c a m p a i g n of t he Best People d u r i n g t he People 's War , " wi th the i r m o t t o : " W h a t You Have We Hold." D u b l i n h a s era. too, a n d if we a r e to avoid a p h o n e y pos t -war f u t u r e . I r i sh men a n d w o m e n a re well advised to be e n t e r t a i n e d and e n l i g h t e n e d by th i s a u t h o r w h o i l l u s t r a t e s »his obse rva t ions "copiously a n d cur ious ly ."

M A R X I S M A N D M O D E R N I D E A L I S M — J o h n Lewis (Lawrence & W i s h a r t ) 1 / -1 \ R . L E W I S believes t h a t a correc t out-

-*- look on t h e world of n a t u r e a n d of men is a s n e c e s s a r y for a m a n ' s public as for his p r i v a t e life. T w o words of en-c o u r a g e m e n t to h e s i t a n t r eaders . Dr . Lewis's " b a r k . " i.e.. the t i t le, is worse t h a n h i s bite, a n d t h e r e is a mos t h e l p f u l glos-sary of ph i lo soph ica l t e rms .

B R I T I S H S O L D I E R I N I N D I A —Cl ive Branson (C.P.) 2 / 6 r T I I I S is a r a r e book—not for i ts b ind ing .

pi' ;>! . ' :v- and v.: \kU-.i.ud<" i ; tlii- art a . • ha., attain been ium-d

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i i: the <•; >•• .mn

i such a . j : -

bu t by v i r t u e of its c o n t e n t s a n d t he cal ibre of t h e m a n who wrote it. Clive B r a n s o n w a s in m a n y w a y s a " F r a n k R y a n , " of B r i t a i n . A p a i n t e r by t e m p e r a -ment . a fighter fo r f r e e d o m by choice, h e f o u g h t a s a vo lun tee r in t h e B r i t i s h sec-tion of t he I n t e r n a t i o n a l Br igade . Re -t u r n i n g to E n g l a n d a f t e r e i g h t m o n t h s in a F r a n c o c o n c e n t r a t i o n c a m p , h e o rgan -ised an I n t e r n a t i o n a l B r i g a d e Convoy, which col lected £5,000 for food a n d medi-cal suppl ies n e e d e d in Spa in .

In 1942 h e was d r a f t e d to I n d i a a s a conscr ip t " r a n k - a n d - f i l e " soldier a n d was killed in a c t i o n a g a i n s t t h e J a p a n e s e in Feb rua ry , l a s t yea r . T h e s e le t te rs , w r i t t e n to his wife, a r e h i s las t n o t a b l e service in the cause of wor ld f r e e d o m . T h e y sear-ingly descr ibe w h y " the B r i t i s h a r e loa thed t h r o u g h o u t I n d i a , " a n d w h y a n I n d i a n Na t iona l G o v e r n m e n t is impera t ive .

T h i s book m i g h t well b e a r a sub- t i t le J a m e s Joyce h imsel f would h a v e will ingly endorsed : " P o r t r a i t of a n A r t i s t — a n d a People 's Hero . "

A. K .

Significant Sixpennies HOW Will P l a n n i n g A f f e c t Land Owner -

s h i p ? " by E. S. Watk ins , a n d "Will P l a n n i n g Res t r i c t Freedom," by Professor H a r o l d Laski , a re the l a t e s t 6d. " P l a n n i n g Bog ies" se r i es which a r e well w o r t h t he m o d e s t e x p e n d i t u r e involved.

T h e f i r s t exp la ins in s imple l a n g u a g e t h e l aw r e l a t i n g to land o w n e r s h i p in E n g -land . I t shows how th i s l aw is in m a n y w a y s sens ib le a n d prac t i ca l a n d on t h e bas i s of t h e U t h w a t t R e p o r t i t a d v a n c e s p r o p o s a l s fo r a n overhaul of i ts m a c h i n e r y w h i c h would, i t is c la imed, d ispose of t h e l a n d o w n e r s h i p bogie for ever a n d in addi -t ion p rov ide u s with a n eff ic ient i n s t ru -m e n t fo r m a k i n g Br i t a in a l and fit f o r h e r o e s to look a t—and live in

T h e a u t h o r is a li t t le op t imis t i c . O t h e r c o u n t r i e s h a v e found i t n e c e s s a r y to t ake s t e r n e r m e a s u r e s to a t t a i n these twin a i m s , espec ia l ly the la t te r . St i l l , the book-let i n c r e a s e s ou r fund of knowledge. And, as C o n f u c i u s r e m a r k e d : " W h o f l ings m u d loses g r o u n d . "

* * *

IA S K I ' S book is the m o r e va luab le in i t s lessons . P l a n n i n g is a very rea l

bogey. S u f f e r i n g f rom w a r - t i m e res t r ic-t ions . m a n y people tend to c o n f u s e p l a n -ing wi th scarc i ty . Suf fe r ing f r o m war - t ime of f ic ia ldom they regard incivi l i ty a s the in-ev i t ab le a c c o m p a n i m e n t of n a t i o n , ^ p l a n -ing. P l a n n i n g lor the g r e a t e s t good of t h e g r e a t e s t n u m b e r should on the o t h e r h a n d res t r ic t Bumbledom. W e m u s t rea l -ise t h a t w h e n we submit to t h e " a n a r c h y of t h e m a r k e t " of pre -war "peace - t ime" we t in ' rea l ly le t t ing ourse lves in for t he c a p i t a l i s t i dea of p l ann ing ou r social life— w h a t a m e s s t h a t was!

T h e p a s t - w a r p lans of big bus iness cal l f o r — a n d le t us make n o m i s t a k e a b o u t t h i s — a big unemployed a r m y to fo rce d o w n w a g e s ; a reduct ion In t he scalc of

living for t h e workers , a n d gene ra l in-securi ty . T h e p o s t p o n e m e n t of Bever idge by the Tory r e a c t i o n a r i e s of t h e p r e s e n t Br i t i sh P a r l i a m e n t is a p o i n t e r n o one should fo rge t . S o buy t h i s booklet .

He * * r T H I S a s a good m o n t h fo r good t h i n g s in

the c h e a p book a n d p a m p h l e t line. T h e "Social S e c u r i t y Gu ide" a t 6d., c o m p a r e s the W h i t e P a p e r a n d t he Bever idge Re-port . I t p rov ides i n f o r m a t i o n a n d a m m u -ni t ion. As Bever idge himself r e m a r k s : "Freedom f r o m w a n t c a n n o t be forced on a democracy . W i n n i n g i t needs courage a n d f a i th . " I t needs knowledge also.

I n N o r t h e r n I r e l a n d t h e n a m e of Bet ty Sincla i r is a n a m e to c o n j u r e with . She is respected a s well a s f e a r e d by h e r politi-cal opponen t s , a n d he r f r i e n d s a r e legion.

I n "Homes for Ulster" she quo tes some s t a r t l i ng figures f r o m official sources—for ins tance , o u t of N o r t h e r n I r e l a n d ' s 323,052 h o u s e s only 51,127 do n o t need re-pairs . For Six County i t es , pe r fo rce ou t of touch wi th t i l i ngs a s they a r e over in the old home towns , th is th ree-pennywor th is invaluable .

Not only does Miss S inc la i r expose con-di t ions u n d e r w h i c h work ing people have to live. bu t . a s m i g h t be expected, she gives he r r e m e d y . And if t h a t isn ' t s o m e -

t h ing to ge t you r t ee th into—well , sec a dent is t .

Last on ou r list, but not least , is MichacI M c l n e r n y ' s f o u r p e n n y w o r t h , "The Future ol the Belfast Shipyards." T h i s is an u n u s u a l p roduc t ion , compi led as t he result of d i scuss ion wi th s h i p y a r d workers. T h e change -ove r f rom w a r - t i m e produc-t ion to p e a c e - t i m e needs is t he p r inc ipa l theme, a n d s h i p y a r d worke r s on t he Lagan , w h a t e v e r the i r poli t ics , will ag ree wi th Mick t h a t ac t ion is nece s sa ry to pre-v e n t u n e m p l o y m e n t . G.H.

thai art nyv Utorn.- as much a ra.-c-i l "municipal i ianhna or e l e m c n t a n

tion." and tin .»! list as indispensable , : -ber of society as a m other teacher o. lial knowledge.

The misgivings we may have c:: '.:•• a 'slhetie quality of Soviet ar t . fall i n w . . . a-insiness before the unleashed creat ive ..al-a n d desire fcr art knowledge, which wi iu l -ism has an imated in all tile peopl; <: Soviet Union. In 1940-41 80 million ;. .,! a t tended performances in the 850 :hr. ; i\.-: approximately 50 million people a;.,-: o - a concerts of chamber and symphonic n r . a" in lour years 5.000 d ifferent books on art were published in editions totalling approxi-mately 33 million. The Sta te Budge . for art in 1941 was 1.700 million Rs.

Is it any wonder that art cri t ics in the Western world and in Gt. Bri ta in , where more money is spent on advertising t h a n the Sta te spends on education, when faced wi'.h such new phenomena, find a lack of cri teria when required to estimate the achievements of Soviet art ists .

From the "sense-training" of the chi ldren in the creches to the People's Art movement in the army, the factory and the c o l l e c t i ^ f a rm, all is a preparat ion and encouragement for the developing of the creative facul t ies ol the whole people. It is, f u r t he rmore , a man i fes t a t ion of the humanis t ic d ic tum tha t m a n can only truly become a h u m a n being in the modern world provided his creative spiri t and appreciat ion advances wi th the advancement of the machinc ; the subjuga-tion of one a t t he expense of the o the r signals s tul t i f icat ion and decay.

It is not possible to do just ice to the a m o u n t of fac tua l da ta in this l i t t le book of scarcely more than 100 pages, or t h e m a n y impor t an t problems the au tho r discusses which are a "King Charles ' h e a d " to the coterie of Western a r t critics. For this, the book mus t be read. I t is excellently wri t ten and is produced with twenty uncoloured i l lustrat ions.

("Soviet Art and Artists," by Jack Chen: Pilot Press, 5 -). J . R ,

G.B.S. Revival J ^ A I R Y tales with a social mora l have

J- been popular throughout the ages and the G.B.S. variation, f rom flower girl to Duchess in "Pygmalion" will probably sur-vive m a n y of his larger canvases for the theat re . Certainly current audiences at the Lyric, Hammersmi th , London, vote "Pygma-lion" their favouri te in the thea t re ' s s t imula-t ing season of plays by G.B.S.

Shaw needs no genii for his miracle . His erudi te Professor Higgins proves wi th ease t h a t i t is the clothes and accent wot does it. Af te r three m o n t h s tuition his Cockney, pave-ment pupil emerges f rom the grub ' of flower girl a n d beats the duchesses h a n d s down a t thei r own social game of poise and elegance.

Villains arc lacking in this c h a r m i n g piece but the sly introduct ion of a choice specimen of the "undeserving poor" in the person of t he girl 's f a t h e r Henry Dolittle, allows the au thor to give ful l expression to his views on the shor tcomings of middle-class mora l i ty .

Ellen Pollock and Michael Golden as pro-ducers and players of Uie a rduous leading roles deserve high praise. Nigel Clarke and Richard Goolden ably support .

M A R X I S M

a n d NATIONALITY

J. W in te rn i t z

The treatment of small n a t i o n s and nat ional groups has in the past been a source of conflict helping on the growth of Fascism. In this latest M a r x i s m Today' booklet the au lhor shows how this r an be overcome.

C o m i n g 1 / 6 S h o r t l y

L u w r o i i c c ; i i i <1

Wi»liar< L<<l 2 Southampton Plaee, W.C.I

8 THE IRISH DEMOCRAT $

January, 1945

If you f a n t to defeat the Unionists of Northern Ireland M. Mclnerney says

" T H I S \ siderod in any d iscuss ion 011 pos t -war In '.and. W h a t will bo i;s r e la t ion | o Eire? Will the two pa r t s of the c o u n t . y come I'.oser or will the p resen t d r i f t a p a r t con-tinue. c aus ing a p e r m a n e n t s e p a r a t i o n of the two p a r t s into s e p a r a t e s t a t e s ?

That Northern Ireland is p a n of the United Kingdom and contr ibutes to the war

rficialh : has a policy of unity with the

clc.ss forces the new Government to imple-ment progressive social measures. A few tt-tvks ago a major crisis w as averted by lie mass movement led by Labour, which forced Andrews and Glentoran to withdraw their opposition to a housing Trust Bill which

roviet Union and the United Nations has. j offers an opportunity to solve the desperate ^quest ionably. created a f u r t he r breach be- j housing needs of the province. I h e oppos-;\'.een the two areas But it has also mean t ! nig fac t ions are divided 011 the question of . great st irr ing in political life and. f rom a i

,. ;.-.'. n 1 (1 area, has t ransformed il into one : extensive employment and a degree of i.ispcrity. Il looks to the ful f i lment of

•. a nous schemes in a post-war Br i ta in and 1 , the full unity of the na t ions to preserve I

ace and establish prosperity.

NORTHERN Ml MCHITES I I ERE is a radical difference f rom the ' I policy lollowed by De Valera. The situ*

. ' ion 111 the North tends to consolidate opin-: n 111 favour of the present consti tutional

isition. and gives a ready weapon to the Unionists in their a l t i tude towards Eire.

In Northern Ireland the great obstacle to the National Movement and to social pro-gress presents itself in the hard core of die-hard Unionism. Linked with all that was worst in the British Tory l'arty, the Londoii-derrys. O'Neills, Barbours. Harlands. An-drews and Glentorans have combined their opposition to National progress with hatred of the Labour movement and social advance. The ten Northern Ireland Unionist M.P.'s at Westminster form a united front with the Halifaxes. Brabazons and Hoares of Britain.

They supported Chamberlain 's policy of subsidising and supporting Hitler. L o r d Londonderry acted as host to Ribbentrop and was the guest of Goering. Sir Hugh O'Neill organised the manifesto of grat i tude to Chamberlain after Munich and. even in May 1940. Chamberlain received the support c! the Nor thern representatives a t Westmin- j ster.

Under the rule of these gentlemen, North-ern Ireland became the most distressed area in these islands with a higher percentage of unemployed than any par t of Br i ta in .

They have governed Northern Ireland since 1921 with a policy of continued war against Nationalist Ireland and against the minority in Northern Ireland. With the in-famous Special Powers Act, gerrymandering and victimisation and with the use of the Border "danger" at every election, they have weakened the opposition and managed to retain power.

The "Old Guard ' ' received a severe blow in May. 1943 when the anger of the peonle drove them from power, replacing them wnn Sir Basil Brooke's Government . Neverthe-less, Andrews still occupies a powerful posi-tion in Northern Ireland affairs . To drive h im and his section out of public life is the task of every section of the Labour and pro-gressive movement.

FAVOURABLE MOMENT r p H E situation was never piore favourable J - if tackled by a united Labour movement .

Nor thern Unionism is divided to-day as never before. The conflict between Andrews and Brooke becomes more acute as the working

Government controls, industr ial isat ion, so-ul measures and the a t t i tude towards Eire. A united Labour movement could guaran-

tee a transformation in Northern politics. This policy is receiving tremendous support in Labour and Trade Union circles and al-ready some tive to ten thousand of the 24,000 alliliated to the Labour Party have recorded support.

Northern Labour would have to win some 27 seats to secure the requisite major i ty fo

1 V H A T place will the people of the * ' s ix (-ail ill it's have in the post-war

world? Will they move closer to the people in the Twenty-Six Counties or drift further away?

Writing from Belfast. Michael Mclner-ney explains a policy of social progress to be supported by all parties opposed to the Unionists. Such a policy would temporarily leave the problem of Parti-tion untouched, for, he says "To raise it at this stage would not advance the cause of unity but obstruct it by guaran-teeing a Unionist victory at the next Election."

I S I I I I W W T O D O I T "

form a Government . This seems easy com-pared to the task of the British movement , out present parl iamentary representa t ion shows how difficult the job really is. Of the 52 seats the Unionists hold 36 the Nat ional-ists have six. Labour two. Commonweal th Labour (Midgleyi one. and Independents four. The re are at present two vacancies.

With strong leadership and a bold policy of Unity ond Progress, Labour can drastic-ally alter this position. During the war the general trend has been towards Labour ideas and Labour has made great strides forward. Branches of the Party now exist in prac-tically all constituencies with the possibility of some 35-40 candidates taking the field in the next election. Forty Trade Unions are affiliated to the Party which has an increas-ing individual membership. It has had sev-eral successful campaigns although its work in this field and on public statements of policy, still leave much to be desired.

The influence and s t rength of the Trade Unions h a s also advanced and t he Belfast Trades Council in part icular is a leading force in t he province. I t played a decisive part in the recent Housing Trus t campaign.

COMMUNIST GROWTH r P H E mas t remarkable fea ture of Nor thern * politics is the growth in membersh ip

and inf luence of the Communist Par ty . I ts membership is now in the region of 1.G00. I t has b ranches and groups in all the impor-

tant towns, industries, and in several ol the remote ru ra l districts.

Its activity includes the organisation of huge mass demonstrations exceeding any-thing organised by other Parties. Within a few weeks of each other, two mass meetings were held which tilled the largest theatres in Belfast. Collections at these meetings ex-ceeded over £100 in each case, and at a re-cent meeting, over 150 new members were recruited. Its literature sales were over O.OOO ill 1913, while the total expenditure of this Party reached the figure of C3.000.

Its recently published pamphle ts on the fu ture of Northern Ireland had a wide cir-culation and this Parly has announced four candidates for the coming Northern Elec-tion and one for the Imperial Par l iament .

The growth, of these forces of Labour has meant a weakening of the old Part ies and this applies particularly to the Unionist and Nationalist Part ies. The latter has now little influence due to the complete absence of a social policy or of any overture to the Labour movement . Similarly, the Republi-can movement has lost influence, due mainly lo lack of political leadership and to evi-dent divisions.

Another remarkable development has been the growth of Parents ' Associations drawing thousands into campaigns for educational re-form and for social equality with Bri ta in .

PROGRAMME r P H I S s i tuat ion offers a unique opportunity -L for the total defeat of react ionary

Unionism in Northern Ireland and for the broadest possible unity to achieve this. I t requires a programme lo secure such a unity and this programme would have to concen-t ra te on the questions of democracy, social advance and full employment, r a the r t h a n on the Par t i t ion issue which, in the present political set-up would serve to split r a the r than uni te the popular forces.

The weak position of the Nationalist forces; t he l imitation of the social policy of De Valera compared to the great social pro-gress envisaged in post-war Ulster; the divi-sions in the Labour movement on these ques-tions; the weakening of pro-Irish sympathy in Bri tain—all temporarily place the ques-tion of Par t i t ion in the background.

To raise it at this stage would not advance the cause of the unity and friendship of the Irish people but further obstruct it by guar-anteeing a Unionist victory at the next Elec-tion.

The policy of the Labour movement will ra ther be one of winning impor tan t social advances for the people, the ending of the Special Powers Acts, ger rymander ing and victimisation; a policy of friendly and good neighbourly relations with Eire in the fields of Electrification, Agriculture, Transpor t and in cul tural spheres. A progressive policy for Nor the rn agriculture will also be a fea-

S S S j j )

r p H E third great wave of Irish Republican Nationalism was -L expressed in the "Fenian" conspiracy which reached its

crisis in 1865 and 1867. The journal of this conspiracy was the "Irish People," a weekly, first issued in Dublin, on 28th November, 1863, and suppressed by a police raid followed by State prosecution on 14th September, 1865.

The "Irish People" was an independent journal advocating a policy of mil tant Republicanism in direct opposition to the all-too-mild and doctr inaire Constitutionalism into which "The Nation" had degenerated in the hands of the Sullivan family

The men prominently responsible for the "Irish People" were J ames Stephens ( the Fenian "Head-Centre"i as founder and proprietor; John O'Leary, Thomas Clarke Lubv, a n d Charles Joseph Kickham as Editors and Jer imiah O'Donovan Rossa as business manager.

THE doctrinal content of the "Irish People" cont inued the tradition established by Wolfe Tone and T h o m a s Davis It

was Nationalist and Republ ican; and in-sistently Internat ional is t , Democratic and ant i-Sectar ian.

J ames Stephens, who had cast himself for the role of Editor-in-Chief, found in practice, more congenial occupation in con-spiratorial organisation. S tephens objected but never carried out a "History of Socialist Theories" as a serial for the "Ir ish People," but through the inspiration of Lalor. strong especially in Lubv, Socialism, of an agrar ian type, found con-s t an t expression in its pages.

Possibly It was this which brought about the significant result, noted by James Connolly, t h a t whereas, in I re land, the "Irish People" barely held its own in competition wi th its con-st i tut ional rivals among the Irish exiles In England, Scotland and the Colonies, the "Irish People" held the field unchallenged. "IP VEN more pronounced was its ant i -sectar ianism which, J - J under pressure from t h t sustained hostility of t he Catholic h ierarchy, deepened steadily into anti-clericallsm. I t Is note-worthy tha t its fiercest strokes of anti-clericallsm were written ne i ther by the f reethlnking Stephens, the P r o t e s t a n t I.uby, but by the ardent practising Catholic, Kickham.

O'Leary stated Ihe editorial s tandpoint tersely: "We cannot allow our corespondent to carry off the notion t h a t th is journal

is a Catholic one. I t is ne i ther Catholic nor Protes tant , but simply Ir ish. Catholic and Pro tes tan t s serve Ireland in its columns as in the ranks of the National Par ty ."

IT is evident f rom these ex t rac t s t ha t the "Ir ish People" realised some of the wishes of its founder. I ts t rue func-

tion, which it filled worthily, was t ha t of a recrui t ing agency, a medium of communicat ion and a means of rousing enthus iasm for the cause, inside and outside the Fenian body.

Following the lines of the Davis-Duffy "Nation," an endeav-our was made to keep a " l i terary page" for original ballad-poetrv. The resu l tan t crop was disappointing. Some verse of a good quality was contributed, a n d much t ha t was nearly-good. Only rarely did it reach dist inct ion and when it did the verse was usually Kickham's. His "Rory of the Hill" ranks as the equal of any th ing in the "Spir i t of the Nation." ' P H E "Irish People" was a ba t t l ing part isan paper from the A s tar t , embroiled in fierce and even acrimonious struggle

not so much agains t England a.1* against foes within I re land itself, the constitution-alist polit icians and, when necessary, the Hierarchy. Moreover, a deep note of bitter-ness had become engrained in the nat ional struggle. Both the "Northern S ta r" and "The Nat ion" as forward-looking journals

W B K ' ^ k B f ' l M M ^ had seldom sounded a note of wailing over • E i l F I I j l i pa.st sorrows—nor, to do them justice, did

the "Ir ish People." But behind every F e n i a n s though t s was the memory of the Black '47 and of the ex te rmina t ing eviction campaign which accompanied it and followed, and this added tenfold bit terness to the fight between the Fen ians and "West Bri tonism" and anti-National clericalism. T h e internat ional ism of the Fenian Movement was, in the t radi t ional manner , shown by its interest in the fa te and for tunes of the U S A., and of every small nation engaged in a struggle for independence.

IN the end. the police raided the "Irish People" office, the homes of its Editor* and the Fen ian leaders. S tephens was

dramat ical ly wi thdrawn from gaol, by night, through the conni-vance of Fen ian warder*. O'Leary, Luby and Kickham were sentenced to twenty years' penal servitude apiece; O'Donovan Rossa to penal servitude for life. All were released under t he Amnesty Act in 1871.

tCONTINUING his review of Irish newspapers in the struggle for free-

dom, T. A. JACKSON tells us about

T i l l

M. MclNERNEY

t u re of Labour 's programme, as will the be t t e rment of the industr ial prospects and condit ions by the es tabl i shment of new in-dustries.

Such a policy can unite the widest sections and has already won support in Nationalist and Orange circles. It will do much to un-dermine the power of the "Old Guard" which still remains the greatest obstacle to ad-vance in Ireland. It will halt the worsen-ing relations between the Governments of the two areas and to enable Northern La-bour and progressive representatives to be elected to Westminster to fight for social and political advance alongside the forces of progress in Britain.

This policy will be s t r eng thened by the d e m a n d for the closest f r i endsh ip with the Soviet Union and the f u t u r e world family of democrat ic nat ions. Advanced Labour in the North will seek to promote the closest unity with the movement In the Twenty-Six Coun-ties and s t rengthen the growth of the La-bour a n d progressive movement there .

NORTH AND SOUTH rI">HE Labour movement can win the fr iend--L sh ip of the people Nor th a n d South.

Nor the rn I re land has a perspective of vast social a n d economic advance with close ties with t h e world democrat ic forces.

The aim of the Labour Movement in the Twenty-Six Counties must therefore be one of progressive social advance if eventual unity is to be realised. It must pursue a bold policy of alignment with the world demo-cratic forces with a policy of industrial and social progress for the country, if Labour is to win the enormous advances necessary in post-war Ireland.

Labour mus t hold out the h a n d of unity to the Republicans in F i anna Fail and win the support of the left-wing Republicans, who could be of such aid to the movement .

In this way there can be built up the unity of the Labour movement North and South, but for many a year to oome this will be done on the basis of the present con-stitutional position.

Northern Ireland holds the bridgehead in more senses than one. It can, by building up the Labour movement, unde rmine the "Old Guard . " a t the same time, ma in ta in the closest links with the Brit ish progressive movement , thus helping the whole of Ireland to par t ic ipate in the "economy of abund-ance" which lies before the world.

A Labour and progressive Government in Northern Ireland at the next General Elec-tion would be the greatest event In Ireland for many a generation. If the unity of the Labour movement can be won, this would swing the whole of the country to the ban-ner of Labour.

Followers of Connolly and Mellowes will support this unity and thus lay the founda-tions of a prosperous and democratic Ireland true to its traditions of friendship and unity with the forces of freedom abroad

Printed by Ripley Pr in t ing 8ocietv Lid. (T.U > Ripley, Derbvs.. and published by the Editor, Premier House, 150 Sou thampton Row, London, W.C.I.