FATHER O'DONNELL'S CASE.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16703, 11 December 1919, Page 9

FATHER O'DONNELL'S CASE.

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. (By C.ib'p—-Pros'? Association —Copyright.) (Hou lrr « 'i'clri.'Tam*.) LONDON, December 4. In the House of Commons, Mr Devlin, in moving the adjournment to' discuss the O'Donnell case, said ho took action in consequence of an intolerable outrage. He demanded the dismissal of all responsible for the insult to a bravo officer and the Australian arinv. Ho asked Mr Winston Churchill to express condemnation of the arrest and treatment of Father O'Donnell, and to state what reparation hnd been offered for the insult and humiliation, lie also asked that Father O'Donnell's expenses lie naid. He understood that the cost to Father O'Donnell was £1000.

Mr Winston Churchill, Minister for War. replied that he could not be ex-jK'C-ted to express regret when neither he nor any subordinate acted wrongftillv. He declared that Father O'Donnell's treatment throughout was strictly in nccordanco with tho King's Regulations. Mr Devlin interjected. "Who supplied the tissue of lies?" Mr Churchill said there was every reason to suppose that the statements were furnished in pood faith and were strictly accurate. He deplored tho attempt to make a trivial episode tho cause of a quarrel between Great Britain and Australia. Forty Labour members _ and some Liberals supported Mr (Received December 10th, 8.0 p.m.) LONDON, December 9. Tho Rev. Father O'Donnell, in n letter to t],f> "Morning Post." protests ♦ li.'t Mr Winston Churchill i* adding insult to injurv by his tactics in the House of Commons. "Such methods." lie snvs. "moke traitors, and weaken tho bonds of Empire.'' Father O'Donnell adds that he resigned his commission "in order to seek renamtion in the King's Courts ai/.'iinsl his Ministers and their minions.''