Come-Together Constitution

"I propose to give you a Constitution of the type the Irish people themselves would choose if Great Britain were a million miles away." As truculent, smoldering Eamon de Valera bit off these words before a packed assembly of his party, Fianna Fail, at the Mansion House. Dublin last week, millions of rebel Irish hearts all over the world were stirred.

President de Valera's new Constitution. which would set up in the Free State a state wholly free, with the office of Governor-General abolished and all specific reference to the British Crown removed, will come before the Dail in the form of a Bill before Christmas. The Constitution contains provisions for the election directly by the people of a Chief Magistrate similar to the President of the U. S.; for a bicameral legislature in which the new Senate would be constituted not on party lines but on a functional "corporative state'' basis. "We do not, however, want a Fascist Senate," declared Mr. de Valera.

Touching on external policy he blandly said: "At the moment it is not our intention to change existing relations with the British Commonwealth except in so far as use is made of the same machinery utilized by Canada, New Zealand and Australia. . . . I regret our relations are no better than they were with Britain. The British Government still exacts payments through penal tariffs of a sum of money we say is not due. We do not propose to pay it. The Irish people have not surrendered, and are not going to surrender. . . . However, I am certain that this Constitution will not injure the British people but will make it possible for both peoples amicably to come together."

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