EXTENSIVE RAID

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 59, 2 December 1933, Page 7

EXTENSIVE RAID

Irish Free State Police

SEARCH FOR ARMS

Blue Shirts’ Homes Entered

COUNTRY ASTONISHED

By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright

(Received December 1, 8.30 p.m.)

Dublin, December 1. In tiie course of extensive raids in the West Cork area police officials searched General O'Uuhj's headquarters and residence, Mr. Bly th s residence and the home of Cominmiilant Cronin, Blue Shirt commanders. Although it was not accompanied by arrests, Mr. de Valera s new swoop on his opponents has caused astonishment throughout the Free State.

The raiders in each case consisted of a superintendent, an inspector, and ten detectives armed with warrants authorising a search for arms, ammunition and seditious documents. A police sergeant told Commandant Cronin that he discovered four boxes of ammunition in the party’s offices. Commandant Cronin denied that the ammunition was there an hour earlierCommandant Cronin later said: A police official asked me if I accused them of planting the ammunition. 1 replied, ‘I not only accused them ot planting it, but was prepared to swear that either they or their agents bad planned it.’ ” . . • General O’Duffy, in an interview, said: “The police found nothing, because I have nothing to hide.” In the Dall Mr. Patrick Ruttledge, Minister of Justice, replying to Mr. M. T. Cosgrave, said that the raids T ' e,c ' carried out because the police bad reason to believe that treasonable doeuments, arms, and ammunition might be found. _ RAIDS CONDEMNED Strong Words in Dail TREATMENT OF WOMEN (Received December 1, 9.30 p.m.) Dublin, December 1. Speaking in the Dail, Dr. O Higgins denounced Mr. de Valera’s conduct in the economic war, and condemned the raids, in which the Government’s opponents’ homes had been entered and tlrnir wives treated as no woman should be treated by Free State officers. H the Government could not provoke members of the United Ireland Party by what they did to them they would provoke them by what they did to their wives. He added that he possessed proof ,of 100 brutal assaults on members of the United Ireland and Young Ireland organisations. Young and old men wgre being taken from their beds and beaten. ’ . . , Mr. Patrick Ruttledge, Minister of Justice, replying, read documents, some of which lie Said had been seized in the raids, which he alleged proved conclusively that the Young Ireland Party’s aims were revolutionary. He added that arms and ammunition had been discovered. The raids- had been carried out iu daylight, thus guaranteeing that arrested persons, if any, would reach prison alive, which was more than could be said of the methods of the previous Government. Professor O'Sullivan, amid uproar, protested against irrelevant statements. He declared the Government was goading young men into committing illegalities. He appealed to the young men not to play Mr. de Valera's game. Professor O’Sullivan was still speaking when the Dail rose until January 31. DAIL MEMBER ARRESTED Ulster Election Incident Belfast, November 30. “A peculiar way of preserving peace during elections,” was the comment of Mr. Donnelly, a member of the Dail, on his arrest, following a meeting in Newry in support of Mr. de V alera’s candidature. Mr. Donnelly was arrested as he entered Ulster for violation of an exclusion order. The police, with batons, charged crowds seeking to release him.