Dublin, May 4.
The Opposition is giving Mr. de Valera's Oath Abolition bill a hard fight in the Dail, "The third reading debate started to-day and the Opposition attempted to force the issue as to whether by this bill the Anglo-Teish treaty to be scrapped. But these at. tempts failed to draw President de al he House is not discussing the validity of the treaty but a bill to Femove some dead timber from the Irish Free State constitution," he declared in resisting an. amendment by Mr. Blythe, an ex-Minister, who cols ito retain the presen "oath ie taking of it being made optional.
'Mr. Blythe urged that the Anglo-Irish treaty should not be ended by unilateral action but Mr, de Valera retorted that they were' not. interfering "with any validity which the treaty may have."
Mr. Frank. MeDermott's_amendment sought that instead of abolishing the oath members should. before the Clerk of the Dail, promise faith and allegiance to" the Free State and during' the continuance of the Free State in the. British Commonwealth be loyal to partnership obligations and' to, the' Eri Crown asa symbol of that partnership. The amendment will not be discussed by' the Dail.
The Speaker +has disallowed the amendment because he rules that it "introduces" extraneous. matters Outside the scope of the Bil May 5, The Irish Free State Dail has abolished the oath of allegiance to the, British Crown, 'The vote, which came in the committee stage of the Bill to abolish the oath, Was. 77 for abolition and 67 against, a majority of ten, Before the vote was taken an amendment was put forward design-to retain' the oath and make it optional for members to take it. This, however, was rejected, the Labour members supporting. the Fianna Fail (de Valera's) party.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.