The Irish Ministers, - Mr. Churchill explainedehad in no respect receded from
the Treaty or weakened in their determination to carry it through in its-integrity. Their opposition to the Republi- can Party:continued. unabated. All that:the. Irish delegates had insisted upon was the desirability of presenting the proposed Constitution and ' the Treaty simultaneously -at the election. The election would probably take place in -June. A simple amendment would be required in the Irish Free State Agreement Bill. The election instead of taking place " as soon as may be " . shall take place "'within four months." The Provisional Government, Mr. Churchill declared, recognized that' they would have to satisfy themselves that the proposed Constitution was of such a character that the British Government could accept it as fulfilling the Treaty. It was believed that the method which had been agreed upon for conducting the elections on constitu- tional lines would reduce intimidation to a minimum.
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