THE IRISH PROBLEM.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 February 1923, Page 3

THE IRISH PROBLEM.

UNITED SERVICE TELEGRAMS. the hush strife. (Received this day at 8 a.m ) LONDON, February I. The Irish people are weary of the stole and tire looking hopefully to a meeting in Dublin to-day of two hundred delegates representing nearly fifty thousand former -ohliers of the Irish Republic army, who fought the Briti-h before the truce hut did not participate in the civil strife over the treaty. Delegates are coming from all parts of the Free State and will endeavour id bridge the gulf between Free Staters and Republicans. i REBELS SEEK HOSTAGES. LONDON, Eeh. 2 The Rebel leader, Liam Lynch, announces that any Free State senators and deputies who may he seized

in future trill lie held as hostages, in view of the execution of Republicans. j LONDON. Feh. 3. ! The Irish Republicans deny Senator Bagwell, of the Free State Parliament, was released. It is understood he escaped, and is now in England. MANY PLACES burned. LONDON, Eeh. 3. By means ol arson. bombs and mines, the Republicans continue to light again. t the Free Stale Govern, ment. A party of armed men, laden with petrol, smashed the door of the historic mansion of Artane. near Dublin. They said they were going ‘o burn it as a reprisal for the execution ol Republicans. 'LI if building was soon in ruins. I he house of Scnalor Maurice Moore brother of George .Moore, the novelist, las similarly been ile-i roved, including rare furniture in the house. «here the Independence of Connaught was signed in i"its.

Senator-Linahan’s house, at AVl:i;<•church, Cork, has also been destroyed, and several houses a! Dundalk as a reprisal for the death of Dundalk rebels.

Six ileatli soilfconocs of HopuMu-ans l:av(‘ hoen oonfiri/iod. and tlio executions are expected «!n rinnr the wookond.

DE VA LERA

united service telegrams (Received this day at n.,‘10 a. nj LONDON, Feb’ 4. Peace based on the so-called treaty is impossible. Republicans will never consent, to the surrender of national independence and sovercigutv to threats. They will light to the' last against recognition of a foreign authority direct or indirect. This is the considered opinion of De Valero, on.. tainod by a “Daily Mail” correspondent alter a journey to De Valera’s .secret hiding place, the whereabouts he could not disclose of he would. All lie knows is that it cannot ho far from the heart of Dublin. The ear journey took barely half an hour from the rendezvous in one of Dublin’s husirst streets. The appointment resulted m the arrival of a ear driven by a most charming young woman, who intimated sho"*was appointed to take the correspondent to meet “Air Bouike." The limousine twisted and turned in the side streets, traversed strange thorough fares, crossed the water twice, mid drew up in a. street of old, sulistanti .1 hou.seis. The guide knocked with peculiar emphasis on the door, which was opened by a woman in evening d.•(.-:-. wiu, led the visitor through a hr lidsome hall up softly carpeted stairs, to a drawing room, lie found l)e Valera who declared the Irish Go/c.'i'iueur must he determined by the peon' \ col, dictated to from outside. Wo are in arms now resisting exactly nliat the nation resisted from 1!)1!> to IR'Ji. I lie only difference is that Engi.i i I was then maintaining claims diree'iv. Now she is maintaining them through D'islilntin. This is continuing of il.e form; r light against foreign aggression. Lloyd George and his colleagues bullied tie. delegates into signing the Treaty, but moved,! it outside the threats of coercion, and we could have peace within a day. hut if England continues to refuse she cannot rid herself of the responsibility. Lloyd George played the pint of tyrant. If the Free State cut functions, it will he over Ihe bodies of Republicans. England will have cans.to regret her mistake. The new Ireland will remember her wrongs in the hour of England’s difficulty. Du Valera added: -“The brother who killed brother sooner than have a sister surrender, will wonder who caused him to brand himself with the mark of Cain.” De Valera declared had lie been in the position of the Free Staters ,ho would have drawn the line at War. in order to compel aoquiesonco and would not have put to death men like flruglin. Roland. Childers. Mellowed and O'Connor. He would have told England ho had made a. mistake and couid not do what ho had thought, could he done. The Republican Government was functioning. It was collecting revenue and organising an army The free state was doomed, ft Kvns' alive only in the cities and towns. Replying to a question as to wh.it would happen if Republicans triumpeed De Valera stated he hoped I lie Government of the Republic would he wise enough not to he tempted into the path of the Free Staters had followed. MR O’HIGGTXS' REPLY. i

(Received (bis (lav at 10 a.in.) , LONDON, Feb. 4. Replying to the Be Yalera interview. Ah- O’Higgins says “We have reaebeo | a stage when the grimmest decisions p will have to be taken up. Organised j sabotage continues, and Do _\ alera hke j his compatriot Dun Quixote is tilting at windmills. The people, acting will. him in criminal conspiracy are taking the life of the Irish nation and they, cannot complain if the latter, in sell s defence, deals with them similarly ( I