TURMOIL IN IRELAND

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 24

TURMOIL IN IRELAND

The following Appeared in our Second Edition last week :

RAID ON MAILS. LONDON, January 9. Armed and masked men seized the Incoming mails at the Ennis post office, and extracted all the official correspondence. THE PEACE PROPOSALS. LONDON, January 10. Tho Daily Chronicle's Dublin coxre spondent states that the peace proposals have again undergone an adverse change, due to tlie fact that the conversations between Mr Lloyd George and Father O’Flanaghan disclosed that both sides were unyielding. Father O’Flanaghan was in touch with Sinn Fein leaders be for® he left for London, and their attitude was unequivocally' hostile to the Home Rule Act. Mr Lloyd George Insists that the Act must be accepted, though he will consider amendments suggested by the Council for Ireland. It is understood that the Sinn Fein has decided to contest the elections, and it is expected that the Sinn Fein, having do monstrated their strength by winning, wiL Tender the Act abortive by boycotting the Irish Parliament and forcing the Viceroy to dissolve itGUEKRILLA WARFARE RENEWED. LONDON, January 10. Guerrilla warfare in Ireland was resumed during the week-end, particularly in Cork and Waterford. Following on an ambush near Cork, tanks were used for military reprisals. Eight men waylaid a military touring car in Dublin containing two officers and the wife of one. A number of shots failed to stop the car. Other assailants further on opened fire. One jumped on the footboard and fired twice at the lady-. The shots penetrated her dress, but she was unhurt. One officer was slightly wounded. A third attempt to stop the ear by blocking the road failed. ARCHBISHOP CLONE. PARIS, January 10. The newspaper Liberte interviewed Archbishop Clune, who said he believed that Mr Lloyd George’s attitude towards Ireland was sincere, and that he really desired peace, but unfortunately several members of the Cabinet and members of Parliament, including Mr Bonar Law, were not of the same opinion, saying that the British people would not be satisfied with any' truce negotiated before the Iris/i had laid down their arms. Sir Nevii Macready also favoured continuing the struggle. Mr Lloyd George then changed his tone, and intimated to me that no truce could be considered while the Irjsh remained in arms. The Sinn Fein leaders refused this offer, and for that reason my mission failed. Archbishop Clune expressed admiration for the Sinn Feiners, and said that when Mr Lloyd George described them as murderers he replied: “No, not murderers, but the cream of their race.” The British soldiers and the Black-and-Tans, he continued, were absolutely inhumane. The soldiers and officers shot and pillaged as they pleased. If the struggle were continued Ireland would only be a heap of ashes. The battlefields of Belgium and the Somme were not worse than some parts of Ireland. Archbishop Clune considers himself an impartial witness, and he hopes soon to convey the same information to the Pope. AMERICA AND MR O’CALLAGHAN. r WASHINGTON, January 10. The State Department has announced that it cannot waive the passport restrictions in Hie case of Mr O’Callaghan, there being no reason why an exception should be made in the case of the Mayor of Cork Prominent jurists have announced that they will take the fight to tho United States Supreme Court in an effort to prevent the deportation of Mr O’Cailaghan. It is pointed out the exclusion clause in the immigration laws applies only to diseased mental incompetents and anarchists, whereas Mr O’Caliaghan s inability to secure a passport is exclusively due to the British Government,