* * * * The Election in Eire As a
result of the infrequent alliances between Labour and Fite Gad, Mr. de Valera's Government was last week defeated in the Dail by one vote, and Mr. de Valera promptly embarrassed the parties which had conspired to defeat him by appealing to the country. In a statement to the Press he justified his action by claiming that the country's need at the moment is a strong Government with a stable majority rather than one whose work is liable to be impeded by opportunist alliances between parties which have no common interest beyond the wish to obstruct. Tactically his move is probably sound, for the Agreement recently concluded with Great Britain may be expected to secure him the support of many who in former elections voted for Fv e Gael, and the Opposition has been caught utterly urprepared. Every Irish election has its element of comedy : it is provided here by the spectacle of Mr. de Valera in all probability receiving the votes of those who support collaboration with Great Britain, at the expense of Mr. Cosgrave, whose spokesmen have unwisely attacked the Government on a charge of com- mitting the country in advance to a military alliance in the event of war.
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