I.R.A. RIOTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 45, 22 August 1939, Page 8

I.R.A. RIOTS

"CIJY FAWKFS" PI AN

THE ANSWER TO TERRORISM

REASONS FOR ACTION

(By Air Mail —From "The Post's" London Cepresentative.) LONDON. July 25. | Sir Samuel Hoare's disclosure of the ! I.R.A. plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament and his information that the terrorist campaign was being closely watched and actively stimulated by a foreign Power made sensational news this week. The Home Secretary's statement was made when he moved the second reading of the Prevention of Violence (Temporary Provisions) Bill, and it answered doubts as to the extent of the powers proposed to be granted. Objections had been raised to a Government Department being invested with powers of exile, imprisonment, and search without a warrant.. The proposals are to operate for two years. The House listened to Sir Samuel's revelations in silence. When he referred to the plot to blow up Parliament, however, members adopted what "The Times" referred to as a "light mood." "The. announcement," said one observer, "caused that sort of reaction which makes the British people incomprehensible in foreign eyes. At the revelation that their own House was in danger M.P.s seemed slightly peeved, evidently relying on the futility of anyone succeeding where Guy Fawkes failed. "Then the humour of the situation was too much. At Sir Samuel's crescendo of terror, ending with the destruction of their premises, some 'solid and responsible members shouted: "Hear, hear." There was a loud burst of laughter in which numberless M.P.s shouted words such as 'A good idea!' 'We would, get a new building!' 'There would be more room!'" "AN ULTIMATUM." Sir Samuel Hoare said that it was in January that the Foreign Secretary received what purported to be an ultimatum from the so-called 1.R.A., demanding the instant withdrawal of the British troops in Northern Ireland, giving at least four days, and threatening this country -with reprisals if the ultimatum were not obeyed. Shortly afterwards the terrorist attempts began1. "This is my only reference to the bigger political issues involved," he said. "I can imagine no worse way of influencing public opinion either in ■this country or in Northern Ireland than by terrorist attempts." (Hear. hear.) "They eventually make the rift deeper and deeper between Northern and Southern Ireland, and nothing is less likely to bring reconciliation, without which a united Ireland. is impossible. "Among the documents discovered by the police was an interesting one known as Plan S, by which these terrorist attempts were to be organised, and the policy that lay behind these attempts. "I have a copy of this document," he ! said. "It is a remarkable ' document. It is not a kind of irresponsible, melodramatic document that one sometimes discovers in searches. It is a very carefully worked out staff plan, setting out the way in which an extensive campaign of sabotage could be successfully carried out against this country." The document ran into many thousands of words, and dealt with every aspect of the problem. Sir Samuel said there was one heading, "The Moment to Strike," and he read a sentence: "It i nst be shown that this is the time to strike—that England has never been in so critical a condition, barred as she is by political traditions from adopting the only methods which would ensure her strength—namely, totalitarian methods." A chapter entitled "Direct Action" dealt with the destruction or sabotage of aeroplane and munition factories and stores with the comment "These will probably be too -well guarded." A third paragraph, he said, stated that the most effective, unequivocal, and justifiable object of attack was the public services. THE NEED FOR POWERS. Sir Samuel read further from the document and then proceeded to speak of what the police had been able to accomplish under ordinary processes of the law. Continuing, he said: "It might be asked with this record and that of these terrorists having been arrested, what was the justification for asking- for further powers. In the first place these terrorists were becoming much more astute. They were careful now not to be caught with arms or explosives upon them—they moved quickly from place to place. They were here today and gone tomorrow. As- a rule they left no written instructions —they gave their orders by word of mouth. Time after time in recent weeks the police had been forced, through the absence of the power of search, to let go suspects whom they were convinced were terrorists. That was the case in the Piccadilly outrage. The police were convinced that theyhad arrested some of the perpetrators;', but they had not evidence sufficient to take action in a court of law, and tiie suspects were released in a day or t,wo. There were two other reasons why further powers were needed. In r.ecent weeks several cases had been brought to the notice of the Home Office, 'showing that the campaign ' enceforffh was to be much more ruthless and was not to take account of human life. "Perhaps the most important reason of all why these powers are. urgently needed is this. We have in our possession reliable information that the campaign is being closely wsatched and actively stimulated by foreign organisation" I will ask the F/ouse not to press me for details—ii would not be in the public interest to divulge them. ( Cheers.) But members; must accept my assurance that the?,e are not unchecked suspicions fouvided on gossip, but definite conclusion? reached on reliable data." PLAN "TO BLOW Ui» PARLIAMENT' In face of these reports and of six months' expetfenco, could Parliament safely adjourn without strengthening the forces of law and order? Supposing that, in August or September, we were faced with war or an emergency that looked like war, would not the danger of serious sabotage be immeasurably increased by these terrorist outrages? The terrorists had been engaged on a plan to blow up the Houses of 'Parliament. (Laughter.) In view of the facts he had mentioned he was sure that the country approve^ of and demanded more drastic action against the plotters and perpetrators of these crimes against the community. Most of the persons against whom the Bill was directed wei-Q comparatively recent arrivals kj this country. Speaking generally, they claimed to be citizens of Eire. The proposals of the Bill were, broadly speaking, founded upon the