IRELAND

Southland Times, Issue 18935, 23 September 1920, Page 5

IRELAND

MURDERS OF POLICE. ANOTHER TOWN SACKED. GENERAL MACREADY ON REPRISALS. (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, September 21. Police Inspector Burke and Sergeant Burke, brothers, were shot dead in Balbriggan at midnight. Uniformed men. sacked Balbriggan. Two civilians were shot dead and several wounded. Many business houses were destroyed. About 50 constabulary recruits were engaged in sacking Balbriggan.

A dairyman named Gibbons and a barber, Lawless, were dragged out from houses. They were first bayoneted and then shot dead. Twenty-eight houses, mostly belonging to prominent Sinn Feiners, were burned. Interviewed by a Parisian correspondent. General Sir Ncvil Macready sairl: “Yes, there have been some reprisals in Ireland—say three at most.” He added; ‘‘We are taking every step to prevent a recurrence. The troops’ mission is to help to protect, the police, which are insufficient to maintain order. The British Government are faced by the Sinn Feiners’ practical declaration of war. They do not wish to retaliate in the same manner, but in the event of a general revolt we are perfectly ready.” He insisted that Ireland leally desired peace, but a very small band of terrorists was imposing a violent policy. "We know most of their names, and the day may come when we shall effect a clearance, If so, Ireland will, a month later, know tranquillity and order.’’ Correspondents frankly disagree with

| General Macready’s first statement. The j Time?'.- Dublin correspondent telegraphs ! that there have been a good many reprisals j by the police but few by soldiers since the . Sinn Feiners began (he campaign of murder j and outrage. Such reprisals arc at least inj tr-i legible to all who know the present, conditions of life m Ireland. The police in i lonely places arc attacked and martyred. { They would be no more nor less than human S if passion and resentment did not strain the i bonds of discipline. People argue that the i reprisals are having the merit of checking | outrage where vigilance and discipline faili ed. Many towns are now quite peaceful, j and in oilier places outrage is discouraged .by the lively fear of retaliation. ! None the less, reprisal? are deplorable, i because they arc creating permanent bitterness between different classes of Irishmen, and weakening to a dangerous degree any : rc-pect surviving fjr constitutional law I and order. The public Ls enforced to infer | ii i" r Ihe Kxecuiive either regards reprisals i lightly, or is powerless to prevent (hem. i Both theories wink gieat mischief, while .■ ilie splendid traditions of the Royal Irish : (jinH abnlary are d imaged, j The Daily Mail's Dublin correspondent states that English auxiliaries of the Irish ('oust abulary are responsible for the reprisal . lane-.-, which have spread terror throughout the country’ districts. Wherever a policeman or soldier is shot, the nearest community lives through a night of fear, beriming that the curse of Cromwell has been ■ revived. 1 The correspondent adds that Sinn Fein 1 is drifting into two camps. Gritfiths is lighting for the leadership against the vio- ; lent and influential leaders of the Re- ; publican army. Meanwhile the British ■ military system has markedly improved. i FURTHER DISTURBANCES. j ANTI SINN FEIN RAIDS. : LONDD.N. September 21. | (Received September 22, 7,50 p.m.) I A police patrol at Abbeyfnile shot dead I two civilians who were running away when j rhidl'-ngcd. Sm-g.-sint McGuire was shot and wounded I at Enetbane whde the police were searchi trig a hon-e for arms i Armed and disguised, men wrecked several ■ shops at Cartack-nn Shannon. Then en- ■ t- red huii us. (imaged young men from their i beds, paraded them in the streets, and com oelh.-rl them to take an oath -to discontinue i the boycott, of the police. Similar disi t urbanees occurred at Tit am, where the I Hibernian Hall was raided, the occupants .aearched. and men dragged from their beds and beaten.

McSWEENEV’S HUNGER STRIKE. (The Times.) I,ON DON. September 2d. On behalf of MeSweeuev’s friends it is stated that nothing is passing his lips ex- • i iiu't- wafer, medicine composed of carbonate of soda and bismuth, to counteract the gastric juices, ami sacred water of the Holy Communion. Even if his friends tried to introduce nourishment he would refuse it. His friends deny that alcohol is u-ed during mas-ay-.