IN IRELAND

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1920, Page 2

IN IRELAND

illy Electric Telegraph-Co m ight

LO'RD FRENCH'S OPINION. LONDON, Jan. 27. .. The Paris paper “Le Journal publishes further details of its correspondent’s interview with the head of the Irish governmental administration, (Lord French). The latter said : “All Irishmen must not be condemned because of some individuals who attempted to assassinate him.”

Lord French asserted that he attributed the principal cause of trouble to thei fact that the emigration of Irishmen abroad had stopped for five years. There were man v young men who refused to serve or refused to go abroad to serve in war time. He considered that to-day they felt ashamed for their abstention. They imagined their exploits made them heroes, whereas they wore only braggarts. Order, he declared, would be restored, or else martial law would be proclaimed. This would only he done ns a W resort. That was because, however len-'ently and efficaciously martial law wa s applied, it must leave a legacy of bad memories and irritation. A beginning of it, therefore, would be made by suppressing all instigators of outrages. It was his particular duty to restore order in Ireland, and be would not fail to do so.