CONNOLLY ASSOCIATION MASS MEETING BULL RING, BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY, 19th AUG., 3 p.m. Speakers—DESMOND GREAVES (Nat. Sec., Connolly Association) PAT DOOLEY "Ireland's Place in New World Order." M(Incorporatin OCg "Irish Freedom"R) AT "Inadequate Travel Facilities." Vw Series No. 8 AUGUST, 1945 Price 3d. Biggest Anti-Tory Vote in Six-Counties FTER twenty-five years of scandalous misgovernment, A'th e Stormont Tory clique at long last are losing their grip Mystery on the people of the Six Counties. That is the stimulating con- clusion one must form after analysis of the Election figures issued last month. True, Baronet Brooke and his mandarins are going of the bac!: to power. But they return badly shaken by the biggest ever anli-Tory vote in the North—162,147 for the Opposition parties Republic against 184,206 for the Government—and they will be minus By Our Political their astute Chief Whip, one of the first casualties in an electoral Correspondent contest fought with unprecedented vigour and dash by the rPHE mystery of Eire's con- stitutional position has progressive forces in the Province. only deepened by Mr. de Valera's sensational July 11th \ IDED by a blatant system of gerry- lost later, when Hungerford defeated Mr. "We are a Republic" state- Jack McGougan, then secretary of the mandering, one of the few spheres in ment in the Dail. which the Tories show a not inconsider- N.I. Socialist Party. Whether Mr. de Valera was able talent, Sir Basil will have a majority In the Dock Area of Belfast, Mr. Hugh unintentionally provoked by oi seats in the new House. But this time, Downey, an official of the Transport Wor- Mr. Dillon's persistent inter- however, he will face a strong Opposition kers' Union, won from Clark, the son of a ruptions into making an un- group, which will include 10 attending former wealthy director of Workman guarded reply, or whether he Nationalists, several Independents, and an Clark's, the big shipbuilding firm. Dock, deliberately chose the occa- active i: diversified Left Wing bloc of five. too, was formerly a Labour seat. Midgley sion to define Eire's position The Northern Ireland Labour Move- lost it in 1938, partly because he lost the in world affairs, is not clear. ment has certainly no cause for discour- Catholic vote consequent on his attitude agement. In practically every case the during the Spanish civil war, and partly Frequently asked on pre- Labour candidates^ received substantial due to the intervention of Mr. J. Collins, vious occasions what was the support. In Belfast in particular, and Bel- who was then a member of the Nationalist country's exact constitutional fast represents almost half of the Six- party. position, Mr. de Valera has always given an evasive an- County electorate, the progressive candi- The Falls constituency, for so long a swer. Now, unexpectedly, dates did better than the most hopeful stronghold of the Devlinite Nationalists, with a casual brevity which could have expected. Here the anti-Tory was won by the Republican Socialist, Mr. astonished Ireland and vote actually was greater than that for H. Diamond. In a triangle contest the MR. DE VALERA amused the world, he told the Government—92,917, against 87,919. Nationalist came in third; Collins, who Mr. Dillon: "If that's all the The State is what it is and not what after leaving the Nationalists, joined the LABOUR VICTORY Deputy wants to know, Eire I say it is or think it is." Labour Party only to leave it and help to One c-f the earliest results' flashed was is a Republic." that announcing a Labour victory in Old- found the so-called Federation of Labour, DICTIONARY DEFINITION Park, where Bob Getgood, ex-chairman of was a thousand behind Mr. Diamond. we haven't been tQld before. Why, if it all Shrewd judges thought Collins likely to Pressed for a definition of a republic, the Irish T.U.C., and one of the most depends upon the Constitution, wasn't the Mr. de Valera took refuge in quotations win in Falls. Republic formally declared on December dynamic figures in the N.I. Labour Move- from the Encyclopaedia Britannica, En- 29th, 1937—the date on which the new ment. ousted Sir Wilson Hungerford. Old Mr. Jack Beattie again had a close vic- cyclopaedia Americana, Webster's, the Ox- Constitution came into fqree? Park, where there is a fairly numerous tory in Pottinger over the Tory nominee. ford Shorter and New Standard Diction- Catholic population, was once held by Mr Mr. Beattie, it must be noted, ran as an aries. "If anyone still persists in main- EFFECT ON EIRE CITIZENS IN Sam Kvle in the Labour interest, but was Unofficial Labour man; although he, too, taining that our State is not a Republic," BRITAIN is a founder of the so-called Federation of he concluded, "I cannot argue with him, Nor is it at all clear as to how his state- Labour, he did not run on that ticket. for we have no common language." ment, will affect Eire citizens abroad. Be- Beattie will also probably scrape home for Asked to state definitely whether Eire fore the war Irish men and women could : Fighting Fund : West Belfast in the British General Elec- was in or out of the Commonwealth, the move freely in and out of Britain without tion, but I imagine his majority will be Taoiseach replied: "We are an indepen- passport or other restrictions. They nothing like that of 1943. dent Republic associated as a matter of could take or leave a job with as much | KEEP IT UP | BIG VOTE FOR COMMUNISTS our external policy with the States of the freedom as a British worker. No special Ministry of Labour permits were needed • T AM feeling very pleased this month. : Two of the most stirring campaigns British Commonwealth"—a reply which as in the case of, for example, French or j 1 Our Fund has started to mount j were waged in the Cromac and Bloomfield provoked an opposition Deputy to remark, German citizens. I up and although we didn't lilt the £20 • constituencies of Belfast. In Cromac, Miss that In that case we were a "constitutional • target we have done very well indeed. ! Betty Sinclair, a former millworker and a monstrosity." The great question mark which now j To all those who responded so gen- : leading member of the Communist Party, In the debate which followed, Mr. de hangs uneasily over all Irish people in : erously to my appeal I send our sin- ; received over 4.000 votes against 8,497 cast Valera quoted extensively from the Con- Britain is whether these valuable privi- • cere thanks. I realise there are many | stitution to prove that we were a "sover- leges will be restored after the war, or • calls on the weekly pay packet and the j for Maynard Sinclair, Finance Minister and deputy to Baronet Brooke in the late eign, independent, democratic State," and whether we will in future be treated as j enormous effort required to part with ; fully-fleged aliens, and become hedged in ; any of the few remaining shillings. • Cabinet. This is the first time that Left therefore, in his opinion, a Republic. "The by all sorts of passport and employment • I wish I had space to tell you how : ever made a sortie against the Tories of State is what it is, and not what I say or regulations, accepted willingly in war-time, : much your donations mean to the ; Cromac, and the support given Miss Sin- think it is," he said. but definitely irritating in times of peace. j "Democrat" and how urgently we • clair, both by the Catholic and Unionist But, if Eire has been a Republic for | need them. Our expenses are heavier j (Continued on Page Five) eight years, the question arises as to why ^Editorial comment on page three.! I than we are able to bear alone, and on • ; you we depend to see us over our fin- ! ; ancial difficulties. • : Please help me to get that £20 this ; Black Market in Nailing? Tickets • month. It isn't really a big sum to | • ask and yet we haven't somehow been : : able to make it yet. We can do it this : : time if everybody helps. • Please send donations to: Molly Hill. ; IRISH TRAVEL CRISIS-PROTESTS TO BE MADE • "Irish Democrat," Premier House,. : HE Irish travel crisis goes from bad to by other boats even smaller and more ob- It is a common experience in London pubs : Southampton Row, London, W.C'.l. T worse. So great has been the demand solete. frequented by Irishmen to be offered a • * * * ! for sailing tickets on the Rosslare-Flsh- "We cannot promise to release ships en- ticket for £3. • Helen (Bonnington, London, 6 -; J. j guard route, that the service is completely gaged on war work,' a Ministry of War Now that the authorities have taken : V. Stewart, Co. Down, 1 • /-; M. Hayes ; booked up until September 7th. At Eus- Transport spokesman told our reporter. welcome steps to curb the re-sale of tickets i 2/-; Sgt. Hagan, B.L.A., 18/-; Miss J. | ton people are standing all night in queues Asked whether he could offer any hope by requiring applicants to give their pass- i M'N'aul, Dampstead, 10/6, J. J. Con- \ of easing the shipping situation by Christ- port or travel permit numbers, we suggest: | ian, London, 2/6; M. Dillon, Surrey, : a hundred yards long waiting to book 1 16,-; N. Gallagher, London, 10/-; Sgt.