Charles Donnelly

“ That the Free State has actually stood the strain without breaking for three years, has been a source of the greatest surprise to the imperialists in Ireland, and the question for them is, having stood the strain for this time, is the Free State going to prove capable of carrying through the programme of industrial development along capitalist lines, in face of the British economic attack and the political attack of the active pro-imperialist exporting and commercial interests. ”

“ The guarantee that, an Irish Republic once allowed, "the Irish people would use all their resources to see that no attack should come to Britain across Irish territory" has been repeatedly offered to the British Government by Mr De Valera - and repeatedly and completely ignored. The guarantee in question now is not a guarantee of Irish neutrality in war - it is a proposal for an offensive and defensive alliance with Britain. ”

“ Against the relief schemes of the government must also be set its budgetary juggling to throw a heavy portion of the burden of building capitalism on the working class consumer. In the Free State indirect taxation, which in 1934 accounted for £11 1⁄2 millions out of the £19 millions total revenue, last year accounted for approximately £12 1⁄2 millions out of £20 millions. Due to the burden of inordinate taxation, as well as to the rise consequent on protection and other causes, the cost of living has risen enormously on the Free State over the last few years. ”

“ The 1932 election proved to the farsighted republicans that in practice the theory of abstention from politics confined the effectiveness of eth IRA machine to an influence from the left on the policy on Mr De Valera/s party. They urged that the IRA should act as an independent force and held that with its influence, it could, if it tried, convene a united front of all shades of republicans big enough to raise the republic as a practical political goal, clear of what they described as De Valera's 'judicial formulae'. ”

“ The third year of the Economic War between the Irish Free State and Britain, the third year of the high-speed, state manipulated development of capitalism in southern Ireland, closes with a question mark. ”

“ The meaning of the settlement talk is simply that the near approach of war makes it necessary for imperialism successfully to conclude its attempt to break Republican resistance and secure Ireland as a war base and that the statements of the Free State Government shows that, as far as it is concerned, the economic collapse of the Free State under its policy has made the time ripe for an imperialist victory. ”

“ It is the nemesis of the purely militaristic policy so long and stubbornly pursued by the IRA leadership, that even its own members, not to mention casual supporters, are far from clear as to the differences of policy between that organisation and the government party. It is doubtful, indeed, whether many of the leaders themselves have any clear conceptions, except as to methods.
De Valera is at present elaborating a proposed new constitution for the Free State, on which he will take his stand in the election. The new party intends to fight on a republican ticket ”

“ The prestige which De Valera has gained over the last year in the eyes of even bigger industrial interests, and the softened attitude on his part to the exporting and pro-imperialist interests which we may expect as a result of the failure of hide-bound economic nationalism, point toward De Valera replacing Cosgrave as the champion of British imperialism in southern Ireland. ”

“ In the long run the Republican Congress Movement, opposed both from the government side and the IRA side and supported only by a small number of trade unions and the Communist Party, proved unable to accomplish the task it had set itself. ”

“ But the signs point out, that heavily burdened as the Exchequer is with the cost of its concession to the capitalists, these experiments, inadequate as they are, will have to be modified in the future. ”

“ The real meaning of the 'settlement' talk is exposed by the reactionary 'Express, which naively writes: -
"Wherever such deep divisions exist within the Empire the business of good citizens is to remove them, and build instead the common front. ”

“ It remains to be seen whether, at this eleventh hour, the leaders of the IRA will put their hands to the work of creating a labour republican people's front making effective the opposition to coercion which otherwise will reach no further than small-town grumbles. ”

“ What was left of the Dublin IRA organisation, once a powerful contingent, revolted against this entry into 'politics'. Throughout the country the strength of the army rapidly weakened.
A Free State general election will be held next summer. ”