We must summarize the events-which led up to this situation
very briefly indeed. Last Saturday the wearisome debate in the Dail, full of cross purposes and bitterness, came-to a head, and the motion for approving the Treaty was carried by 64 votes, to -57—a majority of 7. On Monday, Mr. De Valera dramatically resigned his office of President. He allowed him- self, however, to be put forward for re-election, characteristically insisting on the pretence that he was not " offering himself " for re-election. If he had been re-elected the result would_ have been chaos. Under Mr. Griffith the Republic has -become .a phantom and will soon pass away, but if Mr. De Valera had been re-elected the Republic would have had the sanction of the Dail behind it. Fortunately, the proposal was defeated, but only by the narrow margin of 60 votes to 58.
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