Treatment of Free State Prisoners

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 36, 13 September 1923, Page 17

Treatment of Free State Prisoners

From Government Buildings, Dublin, under date June, 1923, the Irish Free State Government Publicity Department issues the following: A widespread campaign of misrepresentation as to the treatment of prisoners' interned in the Irish Free State has been carried on from the beginning of this year. This unscrupulous propaganda directed by Mr. E. de Valera, and his supporters succeeded in misleading a number of people abroad. It was designed partly to divert public attention from the crimes committed by Mr. de Valera’s followers against the Irish peoplethe civil strife he fomented, the burning of Irish homesteads, the looting of banks and shops, the destruction of- railways and roads, and the efforts to compel the people to withdraw support from their first National Government. Men engaged in this work, or helping those engaged, were arrested and interned, and, in spite of the nature of their activities, were treated with a leniency and consideration probably unequalled in similar circumstances in any other country. Owing to the misrepresentations as to the conditions in the Irish internment camps the International Red Cross Commission sent a delegation to Ireland early last month to investigate the charges. The delegation was welcomed by the Irish Government and given every possible facility. The International Red Cross has already issued a preliminary announcement stating that the delegation visited the internment camps and reported that “the sanitary conditions, the nourishment and lodging are in general very satisfactory.” Complete and detailed reports have now been issued by the Commission at Geneva. • The general report states: — “The total number of prisoners and internees is about 11,500 men and 250 women. Our delegate visited the principal camps comprising a total of 7369 prisoners. The treatment of these prisoners is devoid of all hostile spirit and the general principles adopted by the tenth International Conference of the Red Cross are observed. The Government refuses the status of 1 prisoners-of-war ’ to the prisoners but in reality treats them as such. “The delegate particularly draws the attention of the committee to the fact that nowhere did he find a wounded or sick prisoner left without medical treatment. On the contrary he found everywhere a carefully organised medical service. The serious accusations made on this subject appear to him unfounded. . . “The complaints regarding the prohibition of correspondence, sanitary conditions and food in the camps are unfounded.” The detailed report regarding the visit to Tintown Camp, Co. Kildare, for example, states that 3200 men are accommodated there in a series of barracks, each containing about 50 prisoners in good condition, with French casement windows and stoves. Each prisoner is supplied with a bed, wire mattress, mattress, sheets, and three blankets. Washhouses with water supply, and baths with hot water are open at all times and were working at the time of the delegates’ visit. Regarding the food the delegation states the kitchens are well run, a dining hall with tables and benches being attached to each kitchen. The provisions which the delegation inspected are of good quality, and judging from the remains on the table after a meal it was evident that the quantity supplied was amply sufficient. Of the 3200 prisoners less than 100 were in the infirmary or surgical hospital. The infirmary buildings are in good condition and well heated. Three medical doctors are attached to the camp and army nurses. The doctors are available daily. There are no epidemics. “The patients seem to be very grateful to the doctors for their devoted care and attention.”

Prisoners are allowed to send out two letters weekly. Parcels are permitted to be sent to the prisoners. The prisoners are not obliged to do any work, and the delegation was present at their football match. The observations were as follows: —“My visit of inspection to the camp made a favorable impression on me. The conditions correspond with the normal treatment of prisoners-of-war in conformity with the principles which inspired the Convention of Geneva.” y v

The reports »on the other internment camps at Gormanstown (1500 prisoners) and Newbridge (1924 prisoners) resulted in ' similar observations. Even with regard to Mountjoy prison, of which two wings were reported by the delegation to be slightly congested (Mountjoy was used as a central distributing prison from which men were sent to the various internment camps) the observations are that with this exception the men receive full prisoners-of-war treatment. — : W Convent of Mercy, Greymouth On the 28th and 29th of August, Mr. George Vincent, representative of Trinity College of Music, London, examined 51 candidates at the Convent of Mercy, Greymouth, and all were successful. The following is the summary: Licentiate piano, 1. Associate singing, 1. Associate piano, 1. Senior honors (piano), 4. Intermedaite honors (piano), 4. Intermediate pass, 3 (2 singing, 1 piano). Junior honors, 3 (piano). Junior pass, 4 (2 violin, 2 piano). Preparatory honors, 11 (3 violin, 8 piano). Preparatory pass, 7 (1 singing, 1 violin, 5 piano). First steps, 12 (5 violin, 7 piano). A very pleasing ceremony took place at the convent before Mr. Vincent left Greymouth, when the four exhibitioners who won the N.Z. exhibitions for the 1922 practical examination received their. £6 6s cheques from Mr, Vincent. A short musical programme preceded the presentation, at which the parents and friends of the exhibitioners were present. Proceedings began with a “welcome” chorus which was followed by the following items: —Piano solo, “Impromptu in A Flat” (Schubert), Kathleen Fogarty; piano duet “Capricante” (Wach), Gwen and Mary Orr; piano solo “Valse Oapriceuse” (Bridge), Moira McSherry; violin solo, “Bolero” (Bohm), Ethel Wallace; piano solo, “Romance” (Sibelius), Doreen Daly, A.T.C.L., L.A.8.; chorus, “Fiddle and I,” with violin obbligato by Ethel allace. At the conclusion of the programme Mr. Vincent explained to the audience the aims and object of Trinity College and the advantages of musical examinations. He complimented the exhibitioners and wished them further success and more honors in the future. A pleasing part of the function was the presence of six Trinity College exhibitioners— Daly, Borgia. McSherry, Kathleen Knell, Ethel Wallace, Kathleen Fogarty and Mary Orr. The West Coast Competitions took place in Greymouth from August 27 to September 3. In the musical section the following successes were scored by the pupils of the Greymouth Convent of Mercy: Ladies’ sacred solo (vocal): K. Allison 1, M. Warnes 2, N. Hopkins 3; own selection (vocal solo): M. Warnes 1, N. Hopkins 2, K. Allison 3; Mezzo-soprano song, “Rose, Softly Blooming” (Spohr), M. Warnes 1; contralto solo, “Lovely Night” (Ronald), K. Allison 1; national song, N. Egden 1; character song (girls under 14): Doreen Donovan 1, Monica O’Reilly 2. Pianoforte section. —Duet, “Beethoven’s sth symphony in C minor,” Doreen Daly and Borgia McSherry 1; duet, “Capricante” (under 16 years), Kathleen Fogarty and Vera Williams 1; Gwen and Mary Orr 2; solo, “Romance” (Sibelius), D. Daly 1, B. McSherry 2; solo, Valse Caprice” (Chaminade), Kathleen Knell 1, Moira McSherry 2, V. Williams 3; solo, “Chanson Tristc” (Tschaskowsky), Mary Orr 3; solo, “Fairy Dance” (Esipoff), under 12 years: Sheila McSherry 1, M. Hannan 3; violin solo, “Romance” (Tours), over 16 years, D. Lalor 2; violin solo, “Bolero” (Bohm), E. Wallace (only competitor). Miss L. Higgins, A.T.C.L., L.A.8., acted as official accompanist during the festival.

It is the small things that make for perfection. Not only is this glorious palace of the world with its sparkling celestial vault the result of small atoms and molecules, but man, its lord and master, is precisely what he makes himself through eradicating small objects of character and rising to the level held, forth by the fairest among the sons of men, or permitting .weeds «to grow among the flowers of virtue, one day to choke them and becoming the most miserable and abject of God’s creatures.