IRELAND

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 31 July 1922, Page 5

IRELAND

AN UNKIND FHIEND.

4& DE VALERA'S INFLUENCE. PEOPLE WANT PEACE. *S CABIiK -FftESS ASSOCIATION—OOPYBIGH'I LONDON, July 29. An Irishman from Mayo writes to %he Star: "We complained of and fought the 'black and tans' under ■British rule, but we are suffering ■under De Valera's 'green tans' much greater. A train whistle has not been Aeard for three weeks, and there is no telegraphic or telephonic communicaiioiu The postal services have been suspended. Newspapers are not allowed from outside, and the local newspapers are controlled by the. extremists. "The roads are made impassable by felled trees, trenches, and "barricades, -wtiea the population, under threat of murder; are compelled to construct. All motors, trucks,- petrol, oil, bicycles, and even spades havfe been comanandeered. Shops have been looted, and thus the irregulars have amassed food, clothing, and other stores, leaving the population partially famined. •"Nine-tenths of the people are opposed to De Valera's gunmen, but the alone possess guns. It is im--possible to overthrow his dictatorship until the regulars gradually liberate the oppressed counties. Fairs and markets have ceased, and our new maslers have proclaimed martial law and tfie curfew. The plain truth is that • these forces have degenerated into gangs of robbers." Free State Government rejected —^c irregulars' armistice proposals, demanding unconditional surrender. Messages state that people in the town of Tipperary are in " a terrible plight. Irregulars control the town and all the railways. The telegraphs and telephones have been cut for sreeks, and the bridges destroyed. Newspapers have been suspended, 'and factories are closing. Unemployment is increasing daily. There is no coal or gas, and the people are on the brink n£ starvation, as food supplies are running short. They are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Free* State ■troops, who have hitherto been unable to penetrate the irregulars' lines. Nationalists have captured Glenveagh Castle, in Donegal, containing looted goods, arms, ammunition, and a printing plant which was . used to print the irregulars' war bulletins. The Daily Telegraph's Dublin correspondent states the masses of the Irish people are sick of bloodshed and disorder, and welcome the Free State -Government's decision to reject the Oxrk irregulars' armistice proposals. The Government is confident of success against the rebels. It announces the 3>afl will not be postponed beyond August 12. i The Government is planning the establishment of a commission to deal with all compensation matters arising! from the civil war, including the re- ! construction of Dublin. J Irregulars are tearing up the rail- j =way lines and cutting the telegraphs j in Leitrim. They are also stopping railway traffic, and armed gangs are ■preventing railwaymen repairing the damage.