The Irish Provisional Parliament has been engaged during the last
two weeks in debating the Constitution Bill, which was read a second time on September 21st by 47 votes to 16. The somewhat meagre reports of the discussions in Committee, which began on the 25th, are well worth study. Mr. Kevin O'Higgins, the Minister in charge of the Bill, prefaced them by stating that the Treaty had been signed under duress. "At any moment in the future," he added, "the majority will of the Irish nation can publicly and absolutely without dishonour repudiate that Treaty if they consider it wise or advisable to do so, and . . . are prepared to take the consequences of doing so." Whether we regard this proposition as a truism or as a sop to the extremists, we must be gratified that Mr. O'Higgins went on to declare that, so long as the Treaty was the policy of the "Irish nation," it must be honourably observed. The progress of the measure has accordingly been marked by no untoward incident. The wrecking amendments moved by extremists have been rejected by majorities of three or four to one, and on Tuesday night the sensible arguments of Mr. O'Higgins obtained a convincing verdict on the crucial question of the oath of allegiance, which was acknowledged to be compulsory for all members of the future Parliament.
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