Mr. De Valera and the Senate Mr. De Valera has
precipitated a new issue in Irish politics by his measure to abolish the Senate. It follows :.lose upon the Senate's action in throwing out the Bill to prohibit the wearing of blue shirts. At present the Upper Chamber has the power to-suspend the passage of a Bill for eighteen months during the life of one Parliament, and it applied its veto last year to the measure limiting its suspensive power to three months. It obviously will not sign its own death-warrant by accepting the present FAL Having declared for a fundamental change in the Constitution which would have the effect of investing the President with dictatorial powers, will Mr. De Valera be content to wait till lapse of time gives him what he wants, or will he seek to get it at once by an appeal to the elector- ate ? He has ignored the Senate's proposal to appoint a joint crommittee to consider the question of Constitutional changes. In his desire to brush aside all checks upon his own power, he appears to be unconcerned about the rights of minorities under future Governments. " After me, the deluge " seems to be the motto upon which the whole of his policy is based.
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