Ireland into Eire On Wednesday of this week Mr. de
Valera's new Constitu- tion came into force, and the twenty-six counties formerly known as Saorstat Eireann (anglice Irish Free State) officially assumed the name of Eire (anglice Ireland). In essentials the country remains as it was before. The constitution has indeed been drafted to cover the whole of Ireland, but its reference to the North being still strictly theoretical, Mr. de Valera has declared that its provisions must be restricted to the twenty-six counties " pending the rein- tegration of the national territory." The King is now excluded from any part in the internal affairs of the State ; but he is to be " recognised " for purposes of external representation, and presumably will shortly be invited to approve of the appointment of a Minister to Italy, accredited to the King of Italy and Emperor of Ethiopia. The election of the new ceremonial head of the State, the Uachtaran, will be held in the course of the next six months. But neither the identity of this ceremonial figure, nor the Constitution as a whole, appears to give the average citizen much concern ; its most momentous effect on his daily life is the use of a commemorative postage stamp.
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