POSITION IN IRELAND

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1920, Page 2

POSITION IN IRELAND

APPROACHING A CRISIS

(By Electric Telegraph—Coiyright.i

LONDON, June 19

The Railwaymen’s Union sent a deputation to the Government to state tjie Irish railwaymen’s objection to assisting military activity in Ireland, as being a policy! of provocation. In reply the heads of the Government informed the British and Irish railwaymen that it would take drastic action in the event of further refusals by the railwaymen to convey troops and munitions to Ireland. It was stated that' strikers would be summarily dismissed. It was stated that if a general strike then occurs, the Government will run only such trains it requires, with militarp men, and will shut down the remainder of the Irish trains.

The Irish railwaymen’s delegates then frankly told the Ministry that in that case, it was certain that sections of Irishmen would deliberately destroy tracks and wreck the trains. They add. ed that the course proposed ' inevitably wouid paralyse the Irish industries and would result in civil war. *

Mr Thomas, (their Secretary) subsequently stated that the railwaymen had proposed to the Government that they should not send any further troops and munitioiis to Ireland. They stated that if the Government would agree to this, the railwaymen would appeal to all sections of the Irish people to suppress political crime and violence. Further the' British and Irish Trade Congresses would, both use the period of truce to seek a solution of the various problems, and also to discuss with the Government the best means of producing a better atmosphere' in Ireland in the hope of a settlement of the Irish, problem. ' ■ To this the Government replied with a refusal. They would not discontinue the dispatch of troops and munitions to Ireland. They said they would do their utmost to,, ( prevent provocation, They were willing to have a meeting of representatives of all Irish sections, including Sinn Fein. They would go no further than that. Mr Thomas stated the question of the dock strikers in Dublin against munition and military transport remained unsettled- He desired, in order to pre. vent misunderstanding, to state that the Government intended to close the Irish railways in the event of the transport workers refusing to carry troops and munitions in Ireland. He said he feared this would’lead to incalculable consequences. The English and Irish railwaymen would consider the position in the light of the Government’s announcement.