IRISH DISORDERS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 2, 28 September 1920, Page 5

IRISH DISORDERS

A BLACK WEEK VIRTUAL CONDONATION OF REPRISALS SENSATIONAL INTERVIEW WITH GENERAL MACREADY (By Telegraph-Press Assoclatlon-Oopyrifht • London, September 25. The-past week Has been a black one in Ireland. About twenty people were killed, and four towns were burned, the damage totalling i!800,000j and many are homoless. The life of a Secret Service man in Ireland, once he becomes known, is not worth five minutes' purchase. That is why murder inquiries are held in private. What amounts to a condonation of reprisals is contained in an interview with General Sir Nevil Macready with an American journalist. General Macready is reported to have said: "Formerly in Ireland, if a policeman was killed, there was no thought of reprisal in the minds of the Royal Irish Constabulary. They thought only of bringing the murderer to justice. But now the machinery of the law has broken down, thy feel they have no certain means of redress, and punishment is only human. They act on their own initiative. Punishment for such acts is a delicate matter, inasmuch as it might be interpreted as 6etting at naught the hopedfor effect of .the training th« officers have given the men."—Bcuter. (Reo September 27, 7.25 p.m.) London, September 27. "Freeman's Journal" prints a sensational interview with Sir Nevil Macready by an American reviewer. General Macready denies that repfisals for assassinations' by police officers were actuated by the set policy of the Government, but if the guerrilla warfare of the Irish republican army continued the situation might domand a policy of reprisals if policemen were murdered, but the machinery of the law had now broken down, and the constabulary felt that there was no certain means of redress, and it was only human that they should act on their own initiative. If the police were able to deal with the situation there would b« no need for military in Ireland, but the impossibility of recruiting constabulary made it essential to recruit the forces of law and order 'in England. The "Daily News" says that unless this virtual condonation of reprisals is disowned General Macready will be relieved of his post—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. RIOTING IN "BELFAST DISTRICT "CURFEW TO BE REIMPOSED. London, September 26. Constable Leonard was 6hot dead and two other constables were wounded during renewed rioting on the Falls road, near Belfast. Three civilians were killed. There were other disturbances in many districts, with fierce stone-throwing, and attempts were mode to burn a public house on the Old Lodge Road. The curfew is to be reimposed. ' The military raided Londonderry, and arrested Larkin, chairman of the Rural Council,-and Snvyth, chairman of the Board of Guardians.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.

EFFORTS TO DISCREDIT ULSTER

6INN FEIN AEOUSING REPRISALS. (Rec. September 27, 5.5 p.m.) London, September 27. Sinn Fein is persisting in provoking trouble in Ulster by murdering police in Protestant towns, hoping to discredit Ulster by arousing reprisals. Directly after the shipyard workers of Harland and Wolff withdrew their refusal to work with Catholics, the Sinn Feiners shot four moro policemen, killing one nnd seriously wounding three. The fierce faction fights immediately recommenced. Three well-known Sinn Feiners have been killed. It is alleged that a party of five constabulary, armed with nncs, entered the houses of two of the men at night and shot them dead. The other was killed in the street. The police fired over the heads of the rioters in order to secure their dispersal. The curfew, which had just been withdrawn, has been reimposed. Armoured cars are patrolling Belfast.-Ans.-N.Z, Cablo Assn. • ■ VERDICT irUYNCH CASE ■ SHOT IN SELF-DEFENCE. (Rec. September 27, 5.5 p.m.) . . London, September 27. At the military inquiry into the shooting of the Sinn Feiuer Lynch nt the Royal Exchange Hotel in Dublin, a verdict was returned that deceased was shot by a member of tho Crown forces in self-defence during tho execution of his duty—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.