SENSATIONAL DEBATE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 600, 3 August 1933, Page 5

SENSATIONAL DEBATE

GOVERNMENT CONDEMNED Rec. August 2, 5.5 p.m. London, August 1. The Firearms debate was resumed before a packed house and the public gallery was crowded, including delegates to the World Educational Conference Mr. Cosgrave, in a short speech, said that the Government was chiefly remarkable for providing a number of sensations, including the removal of Mr. • MacNeil "and General O'DufFy, which had apparently been done to divert attention from the real policy. A tense silence of three minutes followed this declaration. Eventually Mr. P. J. Ruttledge rose amid ironical cheers and said that he expected some "Cosgraveite" to rise in support of theli- leader. He added that the Government had acted legally under the measure that Mr. Cosgrave had passed in 1925. Its action was merely a stocktaking of licenses. Mr. Fitzgerald Kenny declared that the last statement meant that the Government had blundered and aCcordin.\ly was blaming the civic guard. The revoking of licenses was an imbecility, leaving the banks and industrial firms unprotected. The Government would not touch the Republican Army providing they did not show arms in public. Mr. McDermott, leader of the Centre Party said that the Government had covered itself with ridicule. The tallc of stock-taking would not deceive anybody. No attempt had been made to recover illegal arms although all knew that more guns illegially than legally were held. Mr. Costello emphasising that a certain certificate granted on a Friday had been withdrawn on the S'aturday, said that the Government could have allayed alarm by an earlier statement. De Valera ^niggers Mr. de Valera smiled, whereon, Mr Costello remarked : "No snigger from Mr. de Valera will allay that uneasiness." Mr. Dillon, son of the late John Dillon, said that memDers of the Dail who were going unarmed were j'unning the risk of the fate of an Irish leader who was murdered while carrying no gun He added that murders had been committed in Dublin's street and would recur unless precautions were taken. Mr. McGilligan, referring to what he termed the "scandalous beh'aviour" of the Attorney-General regarding men charged'with the illegal possession of arms, said that the Republican Army had formulated the policy and that the Government had implemented it. Mr. de Valera said that the Government aimed firstly at finding if guns were under control and secondly at ensuring that they were not used improperly. He added that there was a large proportion of arms in the hands of supportexs of the opposition. Continuing he said "the Government determined not t° allow any private army to parade in uniform or with guns in a public place The removal of the oath eliminated the reason for the existence of the Republican army or an excuse for anyone using force or possessing arms. The Free State has had greater peace and security in the last 18 months than in any previous ten years." Mr. Hogan, an ex-Minister declared that Mr. de Valera's actions were aimed at justifying his own "criminal past." He continued amid uproar characterising Mr. de Valera :as a "meticulous loy'er of constitutionalism who was never such a pettyfogger or so insincere as wheri he thumped the table in'the Dail." This is only a trick to create" scare against the national guard, he addedbut it won't work.