IRISH POLICE RAIDS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 934, 2 December 1933, Page 1

IRISH POLICE RAIDS.

Strong Words Used in Daii Debate. DUBLIN, November 30. Raids were extensivelv carried out in West Cork, including General O’Duffy’s headquarters and the homes of the Blue Shirts commanders. Although thev were not accompanied by arrests, Mr de Valera’s new swoop on his opponents has astounded the Free State The raiders in each case consisted of a superintendent, an inspector and ten detectives, armed with warrants authorising a search for arms, ammunition and seditious documents. A sergeant told Mr Cronin that he had discovered four boxes of ammuni tion at the party's offices. Mr Cronin denied that the ammunition had been there an hour earlier. Mr Cronin later said: “ The police official asked me if I accused them of planting the ammunition. I replied that I not only accused them of planting it. but was prepared to swear that either they or their agents planted it.” In the Dail, Dr O’Higgins denounced Mr de Valera’s conduct of the economic war. He condemned the raids in which the homes of opponents of the Government were entered, and their wives treated as no woman should be treated by Free State officers. If the Govern ment could not provoke the United Irelanders by what they did to them, they would provoke them by what they did to their wives.

He added that he possessed proof of a hundred brutal assaults on members of the United Ireland and Young Ireland organisations, young and old men being taken from their beds and beaten Mr Ruttledge, replying, read documents, some of which, he said, had been seized in the raids, which, he alleged proved conclusively that the Young Ireland Party’s aims were revolutionary. lie added that arms and ammunition had been discovered. The raids had been carried out in daylight, guaranteeing the arrested persons, if any, reaching the prison alive, which was more than could be said for the methods of the previous Government. Professor O’Sullivan, amid uproar, protested at the irrelevant statements, lie declared that the Government was goading the young men into committing illegalities. He appealed to the young men not to play Mr de Valera’s game. He was still speaking when the Dail rose until January 31.