DUBLIN GUNMEN

Evening Star, Issue 20118, 7 March 1929, Page 9

DUBLIN GUNMEN

EARLY-MORNING ARRESTS POLICE KAYE STRENUOUS TIME. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March 6. Thirty-nine arrests of young men Jiving in Dublin and its suburbs foil owed with dramatic swiftness on. President Cosgrave’s pronouncement last night. The police planned a coup for the small hours of th'e morning, and raided various houses before dawp, after a night’s active preparation. All, of the arrested men Were in bed, and were ordered to dress. They were then hurried to Bridewell, closely guarded. Fourteen were released in the morning. The remainder wore very lively prisoners. The police had a strenuous time, and there were many smashed windows. The prisoners will probably be charged with damaging Government property in addition to other charges, which are not yet revealed. Tbo prisoners’ friends and relatives besieged Bridewell, singing and shouting, the prisoners joining in the noise. The Dublin correspondent of the ‘ Daily News ’ is of the opinion that if the North Dublin by-election is' unfavourable to the Government the Public Safety Bill, which expired : in December, will be .reintroduced. If the Government is defeated the General Election Will be fought on a public safety issue. a Frank Faliy, one of De Valera’s lieutenants, declares that he and 1% friends do not , sympathise with the ( methods of ,assasiriatioiv but violence, is' likely to continue as long as the Dail members arc required to take the oath of allegiance to a foreign king. Such horrible deeds by secret organisations are likely to continue until every section has free

entry to the Dail.—London ■ Times ’ Cable. [A previous message stated: President Cosgrave, iu a speech at Dublin, declared that the revival of the gunmen’s activity ! threatened the whole social fabric. It was a deliberate conspiracy to defeat the ends of justice, and the conspirators, having failed by threats to intimidate jurors and witnesses, had now resorted to murder. “The position now is,” he said, “that there exists in Dublin a body of criminals intent on murdering citizens who are exercising the rights of citizenship. If this conspiracy is not crushed we will be faced with a most serious problem.”]