VIRTUALLY A REBEL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10689, 8 September 1920, Page 5

VIRTUALLY A REBEL

M'SWINEY'S PENALTY

GOVERNMENT CANNOT SANCTION RELEASE.

PREMIER MAKES A CONDITION.

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright Jteuter's Telegram.

LONDON, September 5.

Mr Bonar Law, replying to the Labour party's appeal for the release of McSwiney (the Mayor of Cork), says he was arrested while actively conducting the affairs of a rebel organisation under cover of the Mayoral court. Had he been -taken at his word and dealt with as an avowed rebel, he would, according to the universal practice in civilised nations, and in view of the circumstances, have been liable to be immediately shot. After referring to the details of the trial, the efforts to secure his release, and the murders and outrages in Ireland during his imprisonment, Mr Bonar Law said: "The Government fully realises how large a part sentiment plays in all human affairs. Greatly as the Government sympathises with those 1 * who desire to see peace and order restored in Ireland, they cannot take a course which, as the- Prime Minister had sa.id, wpuld inevitably lead to a complete breakdown of the whole machinery of law and government. The policy of the Government has been made clear from the outset i and if the Lord Mayor dies in prison the responsibility will rest in some degree upon those who, by their repeated appeals, have encouraged the belief that; the Government would prove insincere in their determination, and the hope that, notwithstanding all the declarations to the contrary, his misguided action would lead eventually to his release in the end." Mr Bonar Lpw added tltat the condition of McSwiney is ilnehanged. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Eeceived September -7,-i0 : . p.tn.), ?1 LONDON, September ; ■ 7:'' Mr Lloyd George states that if the appeals for the release of MoSwiney are accompanied by guarantees that the murders will cease, McSwiney and the other hunger-strikers will be released, but unconditional release would have a disastrous result on the, morale of the Irish police. ATTITUDE OF TRADE UNION | CONGRESS. , ' . j '-. LONDON, ".September 6..,, The Trade Union Congress" at Portsmouth, attended by nearly a thousand I delegates, passed by acclamation a, resolution viewing with horror and .indignation the Government's decision regarding the McSwiney ease. i IRISH OUTRAGES A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR. (■Received September 7,, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, September <3. ~, Armed men in Strokeßtownj, Roscommon, v isited a. house, took a. man from his bed into the road .in" bis: n:ght-gown, and accused him of being a spy. He was ordered to choose between death and leaving the district. The man chose to leave, and went away under the supervision of the mtimidators. • . Another . mysterious crime was dis-covered.-owing to the washing ashore of a body near. Cloyne lashed to the axle-tree of a oart by means of strong wire around the arms and legs. It is believed the man was a spy whom the Sinn Feiners caught and. tied to. a cart-wheel then drove the, part ■over a, cliff. . ■ '" " .;..,., '"."."'.' ~ DUFFY'S EXPULSION FROM ~ FRANCE. . LONDON, September 6. France asked' Mr Gavan Duffy (the Sinn Fein representative) to leave because he had communicated .to the newspapers a letter he had written t.o M. Millerand urging him to intercede ! with Mr 'liloyd George in favour of McSwiney, and also because of his refusal .to discontinue his anti-Bntisn .policy. , '"' """■ INTRIGUE IN AMERICA/ BOSTON, September 6. * The Loyal Coalition of Irishmen has telegraphed to the Congressional Committee in Chicago, to investigate &_«- port that the Irish Republican Parliament voted 1,500.000 dollars to_ be used to influence the American Presidential elections and to/obtam recognition of Ireland ~by tna ■ Unitod I States. ,' '■': r ■..' DUBLIN CORPORATION'FUNDS. (Received September 7, 8-5 p.m.) DUBLIN, September-7.-The Dublin Corporation has reduced the wages and salaries of its employees by 25 per cent, owing to the Government withholding grants to the extent of £200,000.