IRISH CRISIS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16359, 23 February 1921, Page 4

IRISH CRISIS.

house of commons DEBATE. CHARGES AGAINST GOVERNMENT. By Toiegraph—Pre«* Association-^—Copvriirhi Australian and N.Z. Cnb]« Association. LONDON, February 21. In the House of Commons Mr

J. Devlin called on the Government at least to fight the hand of peasant bovs who formed Die Sinn Fein army fairly and cleanly, and if they could not overcome "them, let the British clear out of Ireland. Both the Sinn Feiners and tho Government were engaged in a fruitless task. Let the. Government invite the Sinn Feiners to of agreement. If the moral conscience of the country was not aroused by whai was going on in Ireland, public opinion had got into Ihe deadly grip of gross materialism. Sir Hamar Greenwood indignantly denied Air do Valera’s statement that the Crown forces were guilty of any outrages on women. Even the. Labour Puny and the Irish Commission admitted that not more than 1 per cent of the constabulary were had. Consid- • ring the danger these men were placed in. this was n superb compliment. Every man in the Crown forces who was accused was brought, to trial, and , it was found that most of tHo accusations were false. The reason that there were more casualties in the Crown forces was that the soldiers were not scaled up in barracks, hut were fighting for the authority of the Crown, and were succeeding. The Irish Republican Army was confined to certain areas. The Government had broken the reign of terror in two-thirds of Ireland. Lord Robert Cecil, rising in the front Opposition benches, was greeted with Liberal and Labour cheers. He urged the Government to send to Ireland a distinguished judge, an English general, and a member of the House of Commons to inquire into acts of violence by Black and Tans and other auxiliaries, also the burning of Cork. He urged fbe Government to abandon the whole policy of reprisals. Mr A. Henderson said that Labour was strongly in favour of peace negotiations between the Government and Sinn Fein. Mr Asquith said: “The e.x-Chief Secretary accuses me of being an apologist- abetter and accomplice of crime.’’ Sir Hamar Greenwood (interrupting) : I made no such accusation. I said that .ymr speeches unwittingly cnc our aged Sinn Fein. Air Asquith: That is a compliment to my character at the expense of my intelligence. T never made a speech without denouncing 'the methods of Sinn Fein. 1 have been called a. pro-

German and Bolshevik, but hare a lingering hope that my political reputation will still survive. The reprisals are the mosi. discreditable chapter in the whole history of British administration. The Government should grant, a Full, impartial inquiry and end this butchery. Mr Banar Law said that after the 1916 rebellion Mr Devlin said of Mr