ALLEN OR BRITISH?

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 286, 4 December 1933, Page 7

ALLEN OR BRITISH?

CHOICE FOR DE VALERA STATEMENT IN COMMONS VIRTUALLY AN ULTIMATUM (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyrictot) Received Dec. 3, 6.25 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 2. The Daily Herald says that Mr. Thomas, in reply to a piestion in the House of Commons on December 5, will deliver virtually an ultimatum to Mr. de Valera. The reply will be a considered declaration prepared by a special committee of Cabinet, and is expected to detail the penalties which Free State citizens will suffer if the Government leaves the British Commonwealth and refuses to recognise the Crown. They will be treated as aliens and movements from or to Ireland will be rigorously controlled. Free State citizens living in Britain will be given the option of becoming British subjects or declaring for Free State nationality, in which case they will come under the Aliens Act. RAIDING PARTIES FREE STATE POLICE BUSY. MANY HOMES SEARCHED. DUBLIN, Dec. 1. In the course of extensive raids in the West Cork area police officials searched General O’Duffy’s headquarters and residence. Mr. Blyth’s residence, and the home of Commandant Cronin, Blue Shirt commanders. Although it was not accompanied by arrests. Mr. de Valera’s new swoop on his opponents has caused astonishment throughout the Free State.

The raiders in each case consisted of a superintendent, an inspector, and 10 detectives armed with warrants authorising a search for arms, ammunition, and seditious documents. A police sergeant told Commandant Cronin that he discovered four boxes of ammunition in the party’s offices. Commandant Cronin denied that the ammunition was there an hour earlier. Commandant Cronin said: “A police official asked me if I accused them of planting the ammunition. I replied, 'I not only accused them of planting it. but was prepared to swear that either they or their agents had planned it? ” Speaking in the Dail, iDr. O’Higgins denounced Mr. de Valera’s conduct in 'he economic war. and condemned the raids, in which Government opponents’ home had been entered and their wives treated as no woman should bo treated by Free State officers. If the Government could not provoke members of the United Ireland Pa’tv by what they did to them, thev would provoke them by what they did to their wives. He added that ho possessed proof of 100 brutal assaults on tr.rmbers of the United Ireland and Young Ireland organistions. Young am: old men were being taken from their beds and beaten. Mr. Patrick Ruttledge, Minister of Justice replying, read documents, some of which he said had been seized in the raids, which he said proved conclusively that the Young Ireland Party’s aims were revolutionary. He added that arms and ammunition had been discovered. The raids had been carried out in daylight, thus guaranteeing that arrested persons, if any, would reach prison alive, which was more than could be said of the methods of the previous Government. Professor O’Sullivan, amid uproar, protested against irrelevant state ments. He declares the Government was goading young men into commit ting illegalities. He appealed to the young men not to play Mr. de Valera’s game. Professor O’Sullivan was still speak ing when the Dail rose until January 3JL