NORTHERN CONCENTRATION

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 125, 30 May 1922, Page 7

NORTHERN CONCENTRATION

[ALARM IN LONDONDERRY

O'CONNOR INTENDS TO 'ATTACK (ULSTER*

(.marts press association.— coptrisht.) (AUSTRALIAN - NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION-)!

LONDON, 29th May.

Rebel forces are concentrating at Raphoe and other places close to Londonderry, where the utmost alarm prevails regarding an attack on the city. The Republicans, have concentrated over a thousand motor vehicles in Donegal for the conveyance of their forces.

General Rory O'Connor informed a special correspondent o£ the Chicago Tribune that.he conaiders the Irish army truce as only an interlude before the Republicans' final coup. He intends to attack the North-east counties when he is ready, and will act independently of Mr. de Valera, who has no power over the army.

[Rory O'Connor, who is the power behind the, irregular 1.E.A., or the left v/ing of the army, as he prefei-s to call it, claims to control over dO per cent, of the army. - Recently a London correfcpondent asked him to what extent they would recognise any agreement which might bo reached" between the political leaders. Mr. O'Connor replied: "No fi!yeemen'''reached at the conference can alter the situation in the least, and, indeed, it is doubtful whether we should even be prepared to consider it. We might put it before the Convention, but the only people who could accept responsibility for the maintenance of law and order are those who have the power. Mr. de Valera and Mr. Collins know this, and I doubt whether Mr. de Valera would approve of any agreement which he.mows cannot be made effective. We have nothing whatever to do with politics. We are plain men who stand by the Republic, and all of us are prepared to sacrifice.our lives rather than allow the Republic...to' be subverted. •It may possibly come to fighting, but if it does, 'the responsibility of civil war will rest upon the shoulders of those who are supporting the Treaty."]