MOB VIOLENCE IN ULSTER POLLS: FEAR OF INVASION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22867, 10 February 1949, Page 5

MOB VIOLENCE IN ULSTER POLLS: FEAR OF INVASION

(10 a.m.) BELFAST, Feb. 9. Feeling - in the Ulster elections has reached a high pitch. Nationalist crowds at Strabane, County Tyrone, smashed the windows of shops owned by Unionists, but no one was injured. Demonstrations were made in Belfast against labour candidates opposing partition and, in some cases, stones, eggs and oranges were thrown.

The Prime Minister, Sir Basil Brooke, said he had never seen such enthusiasm as had been aroused by the election. * Sir Basil Brooke referred to the possibility of the invasion of Northern Ireland and said there might be outrages.

"I don’t except trouble from our side of the border,” he added. “We have, however, examples from the past of I.R.A. activities when we had to face murder, arson and kidnapping. It may start again. “One can only presume that, in the event of invasion, Britain would defend Northern Ireland. I have offered friendship and co-operation to the Eire Government but all I get is abuse." The fund organised in Eire to aid anti-partition candidates In the Ulster election will reach £50.000, says the Daily Telegraph’s correspondent in Dublin.

The fund will give the Nationalist candidates in Ulster about £3OO each towards their election expenses. Hundreds of cars are being marshalled in Eireann countries along the Northern Ireland border ready to cross the border tomorrow to aid anti-_ partitionists. : The Eireann authorities arc establishing emergency petrol pumps along the border. i