It has been fascinating, it has' been remarkably educative, and it has been. undeniably salutary, to have assisted at, and at near quarters to have observed, the establish ment of a new State.
How many of us have read history, treating of the birth of nations, and of the course and consummation of high ideals, as if it were a pageant seen from afar, without in the least realizing the stern lessons of the facts of life which nations have to learn no less than individuals! Yet it is but a simple truth that most of the problems that the Free State has to face to-day. derive, not from. Peculiar circumstances, Dut simply: from the fact that Irdond has yet, to discover the true method of living her new way of life. It is very striking to re-read the early history of the United States, and to see many of Ireland's present-day problems traced clearly there, in the records of that great people, a hundred and 50 years ago, The Ulster Crux There are special difficulties, peculiar and distinct problems, of course. Of these the thief jeansed by the disastrous split over the Treaty, when a large section of Trish men' and women declined to recognize the will of the people, and turned their arms against their own country. With these I will not deal at the moment. But many questions that now seem peculiar to Treland are to be found also in 'American history. Take the problem of "Ulster," for example—or rather, of those' who in the north-of Ulster prefer to continue under the supreme authority of the British Parliament. America had its own section of "Loyalists," whom it took her quite a time to absorb and make part of her national life, The chief of the problems of the Free State to-day, however, are concerned with the foundation of her separate financial, fiscal and Truly' considered, the Boundary Problem that threat" fens so mivich difficulty for the near future, is only a part of that deeper problem. The problem of party alignments, and new political formations, that are now threatening. the security of the present Government, are also a part of that deeper problem. And it was this very problem that caused chief anxiety during the early decades of the United States, along almost exactly the same lines. In Ireland day (as in America then) thoughts and ideas of the people have not run ahead to the cireumstances that have arrived, but are' still in great measure continuing along the lines of old allegiances and conceptions.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.