MICHAEL COLLIN’S BOOK

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1923, Page 1

MICHAEL COLLIN’S BOOK

>liv a real Dubliner). DUBLIN. Feb. (i. Mi- Intel ( ollins "rote a hook, "hi": Rath to Freedom." just i-sued l>v the 'lalbut Press, Dublin. Towards the. cnl. he winds up hi- ni(---.,ge will: prophetic warning- “against a lile ol ease.’’ There is no immediate danger to Ireland from excessive ea-e. with an; average of six residences and Iwo railway trains destroyed each day. - not to mention ,lie test- n) the lilin to; life and property. He says that in the urban areas of Ireland alone “(57.0D0 houses are urgently needed." hut. his count rvnion continue to burn out the houses that remain. He recommends “cheapening the: means of transportand his follow- j (-,-s inntimie to destroy them. lU' recommends the investment of "Iri-h motley ill Irish indtisl lies. hut his pupils are rapidly destroying the industries. lie complains of Irish capital going mil of Ireland for investment, hut hi---,,1,1 comrades” are hunting out and hurtling such inx’cstmem s at home. He “knew” that the Republic deck, n-d in 191 Ii “XX as not a lad Ye l \, ar he I' d his counl rynie kill each other lor the iietinii, and thev tiilhi" hi . example at ter hideath. \,i oilu-r man alive or dead did so much lo make “the hoy- ’ believe that they were lighting for a live Republic', j and now l hey learn trom him that, no such thine existed trom tir-t to ln-t. What are we to make ~t a man who ; sets m, a deliberate lietinii, who gets, men to shed their blood lot it. who : eoiti'esses over their graves that lie j “knew ii was not a fact." and then u rites a horn; to iilstiiv himself ill all j these admissions!' 1 have read Ihe hook with a special curiosity to see "hat he had lo say j about the “treason' in the treaty a!- j leged hr ihe Republicans. Not a ! Hold I Yet he must have known alii ah-.uil it. He does not even deny the! treason, though n "as, and 1-, the j main driving power behind “the gun I men.” 11l this connection an article by Air Rloyd George has done great mischief to ihe Fn-e Stale Gox-enimenl- tin' ariiele in "hlell he states that when signing t ..-s- treaty Griffith and Collins "knew that they were signing their death warrant." Here we have the nio-t terrible suspicion of the Republicans confirmed by the ex-Premier ot England. For I'eland's sake, if not tor hi- oxvu. Mr Lloyd George ought io have said more or nothing. Why did Griffith and Collins know ilial they were “signing their death warrant' ' A month before they 1 signed it they were two of the most j trusted men m Ireland. What. bad j they done to make them “traitor'" ? j Does Ml Lloyd George know this?! Will lie explain it 7 If nm . he ought j not to have mentioned it at alll. As the matter stands, his statement is taken everywhere tis a very powerful .support for the Republican point of view. Is this fair to the Free Btate7 Is it worthy of a man who lias been Prime Minister of England? Until he explains or withdraws, lies assertion stands quotable to justify those who are at wai with tlie Free State.