When I was introducing the Second Reading of the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Bill on the 14th of March of this year I made the following statement:—
"This is the annual Army Bill. It comes before the Oireachtas each year. I had hoped at this time last year to introduce a Bill this year which would be a complete amendment of the existing Army Act. Unfortunately the Bill had not reached the stage at which it could be introduced. I hope, however, before the expiration of the period provided by this Bill, to introduce a Bill amending the whole Army Act."
The fact of the matter is that Senator Blythe is quite well aware that while the last Government promised continually from 1923 to 1931 to introduce a permanent Army Bill, no steps were taken to carry out that declaration. One of the first things I did when we settled down in office was to call the General Staff and the legal officers together, to get after the construction and preparation of a complete amendment of the present Army Act. As Senator Johnson pointed out, an Army Act is quite a long and a voluminous piece of legislation. The work has been going on steadily since. I have been pressing for it for 18 months, and it has reached the stage when it has left my Department. I cannot attempt to promise anything more than I did on March 14th. I hope, however, before the expiration of the period provided by this Bill to introduce a Bill amending the whole Army Act.
The Department of Defence has done its share to date, but the introduction of the new Bill into the Dáil depends upon the pressure on other Government Departments. I cannot, and neither can the Executive Council, give any definite promise that the Bill will be introduced before Christmas, or before the end of the year. I hope to get the Bill introduced into the Dáil and to get it through as quickly as I can.
Senator Blythe is not just quite so innocuous as he appears to be. For a number of years he has been steadily trying to sow the seeds of dissension, while pretending to be a man of peace and all the rest of it. If the present Government were going to act, as he claims they might act in the next 12 months, they should have shown some evidence of it in the last two years. They have had all the powers of the Army Act at their disposal for the last two years. I think any fair-minded man who goes into the records of both Governments will say that the present Government has hesitated to use its full powers very much more than the last Administration did. Senator Blythe spoke here about a rumour which he said is circulating, and which I suspect he is one of the principal agents in starting, that a certain gentleman is to come over here to replace the Chief of Staff. He says that it is necessary to introduce a certain amendment to the Act to prevent that being done, the plea being that the Act as it stands gives power to dispense with the services of a number of officers and to replace them by others. When Senator Blythe gave notice that he was going to move an amendment, I took the trouble of having the records looked up to see how the previous Government acted, and compared their actions with my own actions as Minister for Defence since I took over charge of the Department. I find that in the years 1929, 1930 and 1931 we had three large sheets containing lists of officers who resigned voluntarily, who were compelled to resign, who were dismissed, or whose services were dispensed with, while in our period of over two years, less than half a sheet contained the list of officers whom I either compelled to resign, who resigned voluntarily, or who were dismissed. Even during the normal years 1929 to 1931 I think the rate of retiral of officers under the last Government was about four times greater than it was under this Government. It is necessary for a Government to have in its hands certain powers for the dismissal of officers. The Government has such powers in regard to the Civil Service. There might easily and reasonably be complaint if there was any evidence that the Government was exercising these powers unfairly, either in regard to the Civil Service or anything else. No such evidence is forthcoming.
I must say, as far as I am concerned, that the Army has behaved magnificently. I took over charge of it on being appointed to do so by the Government. We had been on opposite sides in the civil war. I find generally through the Army that the officers are prepared to obey any Government elected by the people, and are prepared to give that Government a fair crack of the whip. On my part I tried to give to the officers who were there a fair crack of the whip also. I am saying all this to show that Senator Blythe's reasons as to why a Bill should be introduced before October 31st, are absolutely without foundation. If he were proposing the amendment with a view to getting permanent legislation introduced, in order to implement the promises of both Governments, I would have sympathy with it. That is not his real reason, because he made no effort, even while acting Minister for Defence on many occasions, to bring forward a Bill. To-day the Senator gave as one of his reasons that if the Army Bill was continued for more than three months very great and dangerous abuses might take place; and also that the powers which the Army Act confers on the Government might be used in a manner menacing to the rights and liberties of the people.
If the Seanad thinks there is any danger of the Government using the powers which the Army Act confers upon them, or that very great and dangerous abuses might take place, or in a way that is menacing to the rights and liberties of the people, then the proper course for the Seanad to take would be to refuse to pass the Army Act altogether, even for three months, or even for one day. I cannot see what virtue there is in taking these powers from the Government at the end of three months, rather than at the end of 12 months. If it is necessary to disarm the Government of these powers, and to create a revolutionary situation that should be done at once—forthwith. If the Government is not fit to have these powers in its hands for 12 months, it certainly is not fit to have them for three months. I did not catch Senator Milroy's quotation from the President's speech. As far as I heard it, the Senator said the President stated that the Army was pledged to support the national policy of the elected Government. The fact of the matter is, that all members of the Army, volunteers, regular army soldiers or reserves, take the ordinary Army oath to the Constitution. I take it the oath to the Constitution is to obey the orders of the Government elected, and that that is a promise on the part of the soldiers to support the Government in whatever policy is decided according to law. If Senator Milroy can give any other interpretation I should like to hear it.