IRISH MURDERS AND REPRISALS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 309, 23 September 1920, Page 5

IRISH MURDERS AND REPRISALS

VIOLENT POLICY IMPOSED BY SMALL BAND AUTHORITIES MAY EFFECT A CLEARANCE SINN FEIN DRIFTING INTO TWO CAMPS I By Telegrwh-Prcei Aseooiaiion-OopyrleM ' London, September 21. 3 General Sir Nevil Macready, officer in . chargo of tlio police in Ireland, in an ■ interview Tvith a Parisian correspondent, ! said there had. been some reprisals in Ire- [ land—say, threo at most. Every 6tep was being taken to prevent a recurrence , of tliem. The mission of the troops t was to help to protect the police, which . were insufficient to maintain order. Tho 5 British Government faced a practical der claration of war by the Sinn. Feiners. ■ It did not wish to retaliate in the same ! maimer, "but in the event of a general ' revolt we are perfectly ready." He ini sistcd that Ireland really desired peace, ' and a very small band of terrorists was > imposing a violent policy. "We know 3 most of their names, and the day may ■ come when we can effect a clearance. If so, Ireland would, a 'month later, know tranquillity and order." Correspondents frankly disagree with General Maoready's first statement. J.ho Dublin correspondent of "The Times telegraphs that there have been a good many reprisals and a few by soldiers since the Sinn Feiners began their campaign of political murder and. outrage. Such i vpnrisals ar© at least intelUßiblo to all - Sfio Enow the present conditions of,life . fTiTroland. Lonely police, attacked and l martyred, would be more or less than » hliman if tho passion of resentment had - not' strained the bonds of discipline, f People argue that the reprisals are havi ing the merit of checking outrage where 1 vigilance and discipline have failed. Many • towns are now quiet and peaceful. In - other places outrage is discouraged by th« , lively fear of retaliation. 5 Nevertheless tho reprisals are deplorf able, because they create permanent bitteri ns<« between the different classes.of Irish--1 men. and weaken dangerously any respect f which survives for constitutional Jaw and s order. The public are forced to infer > that the Executive either regards the » reprisals leniently or is powerless to s prevent them; and both great mischief, while the splendid tions of the Royal Irish Constabulary r "St Mail's" Dublin corresponfl- ■ ent states that the English auxiliaries of the Irish Constabulary are "sensible for the reprisal tactics, -which have spread terror throughout the country districts. Wherever a policeman or a soldier is shot the nearest community lives Mirmigh a night of fear, believing that the cm so " of Cromwell" has revived. He adds that the Sinn Fein is drifting into two camps. Griffiths is fighting for leadership against the violent and t leaders of the Republican Army. Mean- ■ while the British military « . mnirkedly improved.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable . Assn. i FURTHER POLICE MURDERS I TOWNS SACKED IN REVENGE. 0 London, September 21. Police-Inspector Burke and his brother, 1 Rereeant Burke, were shot dead in tfal- - briggan at midnight. Uniformed men ° sacked the town, and two civilians wcto 0 shot dead and several wounded. Many business houses were destroyed. While about, fifty _ Constabulary recruits were engaged in sackmg Jjalornjgan, a dairyman named Gibbons and a barber named lawless were dragged out of their houses, and were first bayoneted and then shot dead, lwcnty-eight houses, mostly belonging to prominent Sinn Feiners, wero burned.-Aus.-IN .A Cable Assn. 1 SHOPS WRECKED AND HOUSES 5 RAIDED. i- (R«c. September 22, 7.50 p.m.) London, September 21. 11 A police patrol at Abbeyfeale shot dead '* two civilians who ran away when chal--0 lauged. Sergeant McGuire ivas shot and 11 wounded at Enerbane while the police 0 were searching a house for arms. Armed 1 and disguised men wreckcd several shops 0 at Currick-on-Shannon. They entered houses, dragged young men from their beds, paraded them in the 6treots, ana compelled them to take an oath to discontinue to boycott the police. Similar disturbances occurred at Tuatn, where the Hibernian Hall was raided and the occupants searched, and men were dragged from their beds and beatenAus.- ) N.Z. Cable A.6sn. M'SWINEY'S HUNGER-STRIKE 1 NO NOURISHMENT BEING TAKEN, i- London, September 20. t On behalf of M'Swine.v's friends, it is 0 stated that nothing is passing his lips 0 except pure -water, medicine composed f of carbonate of soda and bismuth to coun- >- teract the effect of gastric juices, and the l " sacred water of the Holy Communion. S Even if his friends tried to induce lnm - to take nourishment lie would refuse, a His friends deny that alcohol was used during the massago treatment.—"The o Times." 8 ■ i