I am quite in agreement with that, but I really would have liked to see the Bill beforehand. A messenger has just brought me the Orders of the Day.
PROTECTION OF THE COMMUNITY (SPECIAL POWERS) BILL, 1926—FINAL STAGES.
The Seanad went into Committee.
Bill passed through Committee without amendment.
The Seanad went out of Committee.
Question proposed—"That the Bill be received for final consideration and do now pass."
CATHAOIRLEACH
I do not know whether I was fortunate or not, but I got a copy of it a week ago. Of course the post has not been absolutely regular.
It may not be irrelevant to make a few remarks with regard to Labour in this country before this Bill passes. The necessity for this Bill arose through the Labour upheaval in Great Britain, and my idea in rising is to make an appeal to the President, whose sympathy for Labour is recognised by every honest worker in the country, and to Labour representatives, in this House and outside, to see if some means could not be provided whereby strikes could be entirely prevented, at least for a period of years. Now that our political troubles have been got over and peace and security established I hope it is not too much to expect that we might also have industrial peace and security for some time to come. Strikes have done no good to anybody; Labour itself recognises that, and if the leaders of organised Labour could accomplish the prevention of strikes by the setting up of an arbitration board to which all disputes should be left, they would be conferring a great boon on the workers and would merit the good-will of every honest citizen.
I can only deplore the bad taste of Senator Counihan in striving to arouse an acrimonious or contentious discussion on the last Stage of this Bill. So far as Labour in Ireland is concerned in connection with this dispute we have no apologies and no regrets, and in similar circumstances would do precisely the same. Employers who have met us admitted that we could do nothing else, and admitted that they admire men with principles rather than poltroons. What we have done we would again do in similar circumstances, and the people whose interests Senator Counihan represents should not advise us as to what our attitude should be.
CATHAOIRLEACH
Senator O'Farrell, you are always extremely fair and courteous, but I think you have entirely misunderstood the purport and the object of what Senator Counihan said, because, as I understood his remarks, he made no reflections whatever on Labour in this country, in connection with the recent strike or otherwise, and the gist of his remarks, as I followed them, was that he hoped that with the co-operation of Labour some means might be found to prevent strikes.
I took his remarks to be an appeal to the President to save Labour from itself.
I appealed to the President and to the leaders of organised Labour to do away with strikes, and I did not make any remark with regard to the recent strike.
CATHAOIRLEACH
I think that that is so. Of course it is not easy for the House always to follow what is said, but that is the way I read it. Senator, I do not think you wanted to pass the slightest reflection at all on the policy of Labour or upon its leaders?
No.
I am very sorry if I have misinterpreted the Senator, but I do deplore any attempt to raise bitterness which, in fact, does not exist. No bitterness exists between us and the employers, and we resent any attempt to create bitterness, no matter how good the intentions may be.
Question put and agreed to.
I move:—
That it is hereby declared that the Bill entitled the Protection of the Community (Special Powers) Bill, 1926, which has this day been passed by the House, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace and safety and that, accordingly, the provisions of Article 47 of the Constitution of Saorstát Eireann shall not apply to that Bill.
I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.