Land of Hope

Ever since the 18th Century, the U. S. has been a land of hope for poverty-stricken Irishmen eager to leave their tax-ridden bogs. But last week Irish Free State officials announced that in the first six months of 1931 only 476 persons emigrated to the U. S. from the Irish Free State, compared to 868 for the corresponding period in 1930. U. S. emigrants to the Free State totalled 1,080 in that period against 621 for the first six months of 1930.

In the face of world depression and unemployment, Irish finances are lush. Two months ago Finance Minister Ernest Blythe proudly announced in the Dail that the Irish budget balanced easily, that the income tax had exceeded the estimate by -L-250,000 (TIME, May 18).

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