THE IRISH CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1920, Page 5

THE IRISH CRISIS.

A' ONE DAY STRIKE, SOLDIERS WATCH EVENTS, Bf Telegraph.—Prett Alan.—Copyright. Received April 15, 12.5 a.m. London, April 13. The Trade Unions in Belfast and North Ireland generally ignored the strike der.—Aus-N.Z. Cable Assn. Received April Is. I®Bo a.m. London, April 14. Apart from the North, the one day /trikfe in Ireland appears general. Trains, trams, and mails were stopped, and hotels, shops, schools, and markets closed.' The Princetown races were postponed. The stoppage is complete in Dublin, and crowds are wandering aimlessly in the streets. Special military precautions were taken near Mount Joy piison, including tanks and machineguns. Crowds assembled in the vicinity <•1 the gaol, but they were kept at a distance by a line of fixed bayonets, and.by policemen armed with automatic pistols. The only incident of the morning was due to the arrest of a youth distributing leaflets apnealing to the troops. The crowd became excited, but the soldiers warningly levelled their bayonets. The notorious Captain White, son of the Field Marshal who was conspicuous in the Labor riots of 1914, attempted to address the troops and was arrested. .Darrell Figgis, the author, addressed the crowd, appealing to them to disperse. During the morning searchlights at Dublin Castle practised lighting up Mount Joy, apparently in readiness for to-night. A Sinn Fein and Labor deputation compelled .three banks in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, to close.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. Received April 15, 1.5 a.m. London. April 13. All the dockers at Belfast are out. Symptoms resembling the Dublin conditions are reported from Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Wexford, Tipgerary, and many other centres.—United Service.

GOVERNMENT DEFENDED. BI3INGS PREVENTED BY TROOPS. TERRORISM TO BE RESISTED. Received April 14, 2.25 p.m. London, April 13. In the House of Commons, Mr. T. P. O'Connor emphasised the gravity of the condition of the. hunger striken* in Mount Joy prison, who should be treated as political prisoners. If the strikers died the effect upon an already inflamed people would be deplorable. Mr. J. R. dynes, supporting Mr. O'Connor, warned the Government of the dafigw of the labor action in Ireland spreading to this country. The Irish Attorney-General urged that the arrests were in accordance with law. The men were simply attempting suicide. Ameliorative treatment for the convicted prisoners had been demanded, "Wch Lord French had no power to give. Untried prisoners were treated undier special roles. They would certainly be WM if, possible, but the neceesary witM»se9 were not procurable owing, to toe terrorism exercised in Ireland He defended tihe use of the military, as ten thousand constabulary were no longer able to maintain order. By the use of mUtHary, large stores of explosives, "•Mm otherwise could not have been tackled, bad been captured, and thus rising? in different parts of the country bad been prevented. Mr. Bonar Law emphasised that there Wto no possibility of a change in the Government's decision. Ifce Government must resist terrorism and sweat suspects. The Government lmni also resist their subsequent release, w«W»e their suicide threatened to n»alr» the mafotemuiee rf law and order imp<*siblle.—lnqjerM Service.

CRISIS REACHED. ! ALL WORK TO CEASE. j London, April 12. «opd French declined to receive tits Mayor and Sheriff of Dublin with reference to the Mount Joy hunger-strikers, pointing out that the Government had already announced its policy in regard to the matter. Dublin Corporation bas decided to send deputations to foreign consuls. The AliiWican Consul will receive a deputation to-morrow. A priest in Soufh-westlreland received A totter: "You are a marked man. You encouraged crimes and murders; prepare to mart your God." The Mount Joy prison doctor, Dr. Cook, lM resigned, and three other doctors, ineluding the chief officer of the Prison Board, recommended the prisoners' release. Furtter demonstrations outside the prison molted in the summoning of solMm fired shots iirto the air and erased women and children to flee in panic. A military tank caught fire, and lien the fire brigade arrived they refund to extinguish the blaze, turned tksir bones, and drove away, amid dwuiii. i It is expected aH work will cease toI *nw except the e newspapers, telegfcj*s and bakeries. The Dublin CopJW«ifoa«djounred its meeting as a protet against the treatment of prisoners. -*Ans.'NZ Cable Assn

SAILWAYMEN ON STRIKE. London, April 13. of the Midland Great Westem end Dublin South-Eastern railways ia Ireland have oened work. It is ex43m Priceefcowii races will be postGovernor of Mount Joy g»ol came • lunigwaWker'i eeU and tried nwo with t*rfey Muter; all Ijrowd. 3&«u> while excited crowd* out■wwwd Sinn Fein flags if they caught * gfonpag of Kho pri«ni«n at a window. Wtta the Angcftw (wB strode the crowd MM tte Bomty Is Iriah.