De Valera Made a Prisoner

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 39, 4 October 1923, Page 11

De Valera Made a Prisoner

Mr. de Valera was arrested on Wednesday, August 15, while speaking at an election meeting in Ennis, Co. Clare, the centre of the constituency he has represented for a good many years and for which he is standing again.

The Free' State troops allowed the meeting to assemble and Mr. de Valera to begin his speech. They then surrounded the platform and fired a volley over the heads of the people. The meeting broke up in a panic, and Mr. de Valera fell down in a faint, probably, it is' thought, owing to a kick received during the stampede on the crowded platform. He recovered and surrendered to a Free State officer, waving aside a few' people who seemed likely to attempt to rescue him.

“Fire Opened from the Plaftorm.” , The Free State Army Publicity Department states that when the troops were approaching the meeting fire was opened on them from the platform, a rifle being shot out of the hands of one of the soldiers. The troops then fired several rounds in the air.

The Government has issued a statement reviewing Mr. de Valera’s activities since the split and showing his responsibility for the outrages committed by the Irregulars.

Shooting in a Village.

Shooting is reported from village near Bantry, Co. Cork. Free State troops who were searching for suspects are said to have rushed a public-house in which dancing was going on. Shots were fired and three Free State soldiers\wounded, one civilian killed, and two others wounded.

, - THE TROOPS AND THE CROWD. i Mr. de Valera was arrested in the most dramatic, manner by National troops at Ennis, Co. Clare, this afternoon. He had fulfilled his promise to attend an openair election meeting in this quiet little county town, and because he kept his word he is now a prisoner in the hands of the Free State Government, and scarce half a dozen of the supporters who had been hoarsely shouting “Up, de Valera” for half an hour previously followed him to the barracks' to which the military took him;.;

The people of Ennis oil holiday in honor of Lady Day had waited impatiently, all the morning, for the meeting was timed for one o’clock. All sorts of rumors were about. There seemed an unusual amount of military activity, and one imagined that the signallers were not running a . line

from the barracks to the town for mere purposes of instruction. Strangers were subjected to close' scrutiny by young men whose pockets seemed unduly laden. People said de.Valera daren’t come. If he did there would be bloodshed, they said, and if ho was not arrested the Government deserved to lose the election.

Shortly before two o’clock the meeting began, attended by anything from 1500 to 2000 people, including a large collection of youths, girls, and small boys, who could shout Up, the Republic”; in the manner born;*; A small platform erected on barrels under the shadow of the O’Connell statue was dangerously packed with speakers, election workers, pressmen, and photographers, and the orators had just begun to speak when there arrived a pipers’ band, whose music made the crowd delirious with enthusiasm.

,De Valera Arrives.

A moment later a small open car with three passengers, a priest among them, pulled up on the edge of the crowd. There he is,” shouted the crowd, and out stepped or rather out was dragged— Valera, pal© and showing some trace- of emotion. He wore a blue overcoat, a soft grey hat, and carried a walking-stick. There was no attempt at disguise. The crowd went nearly mad with joy for a full five minutes. When he mounted the platform they cheered shouted, and gesticulated. / Others followed Mr. de Valera on to the platform until the occupants had scarcely room to move. The meeting got going and a few speakers were heard amid the din to make references to the “President of the Republic’-’ and to deliver violent attacks on the Government and the . Governor General. .. . a

; Then rose Mr. de / Valera, r and the crowd went into hysterics again. He spoke a few words in Irish, then half a dozen sentences in English, and was referring to the gospel which I preach to you to-day” when we on the right of the platform, straining our ears to catch the familiar phrases, espied a score or more of figures in the field green of the Free State army with rifles at the trail under two officers, who were . fingering heavy revolvers. Then came an armored car with its Vickers gun pointing a finger of warning. * •

The Troops Eire. Someone passed the word along, and in a flash the crowd sensed the position. The troops slowly approached the file, their rifles now at the ready, and presently we on the platform found ourselves looking into nicely-cleaned barrels of service, rifles. The platform was surrounded by the troops, to whom de Valera appeared to be making signs. The crowd, taking courage, took up the cries . “Up” de Valera” and “Up, the Republic,” while de Valera himself attempted to go on-speaking. Then we saw the rifles elevated safely over our heads and out rang forty or .fifty shots. This caused a mad, wild panic. People scattered in all directions, seeking, what coyer they could; women shrieked, fell, over and wept; children were knocked down like ninepins and ran like hares, cursing and blaspheming. „• The densely packed platform swayed, and de Valera collapsed. “He is shot!” people shouted, and in truth we believed that he was, but it turned out that he had fainted, as the result, probably, of a kick during the stampede on the platform.

Many people who; had fled returned to the market square and called the troops irritating names, and the situation seemed full of ugly possibilities. ’ But, be it said’ to their credit, the troops kept their heads, and restored some degree of quiet by fixing bayonets and making it clear that, if need be, they intended to us© them. Meanwhile, de alera had recovered, and was assisted down the steps of the platform, and, waving aside a handful of men and women who appeared to be stupid enough to want to make an attempt at rescue, surrendered to one of the army officers, who received him. with a kindly ' “Come along,” a •/

There were more cries of “Cowards,” “Up, de Valera,” and Up, Republicans, and the armored car manoeuvred in the square again, its Vickers machine-gun appearing to look every way in turn as the gunner swung - it round. De Valera with the officer, and followed by troops, walked nearly half a mile to the home barracks, and of the large crowd who saw him taken only a priest] two

women, and two children accompanied him to the barrack gates. Others from ■ their front/doors and windows watched the prisoner,' pale and . trembling . but with head erect, as he passed along the main Street to the barracks.

The armored.. car remained in the square for some-time,' arid crowds of • people collected to discuss the dramatic

taking of the Republican, leader, but there were no more incidents. -'• *' ' » ‘ *. ' , v r : ' De Valera’s Speech. 7 . In the few remarks he was able to make before hid ftrfest de Valera said : -.vA' A " . ■

“When aVo could not come to you and tell you the truth they said we were anarchists; that we were out for destruction. I come here to tell you I never stood for destruction. I have never stood for a brother’s hand being raised against a brother. $1 have never stood for the enemy’s, game,' .which endeavored to make one party fight the other. I have since the beginning preached one gospel, and this is the gospel I preach to you to-day.” -'■

He was heard no more, as at this stage troops arrived. Twelve cases were treated at the local hospital.. Two men declared that they Aver© suffering from bullet wounds. Ten other . people, including a nine-month-old baby, were treated for cuts and bruises received during the stampede. No one as detained. -A few other cases were dealt with by chemists. - '

Cabinet Said to .be . Divided.

The news of the arrest of do Valera will not take everybody by surprise in Ireland. The Government -were bound to be criticised either way. The Cabinet were said to be equally divided as-to the wisdom of arresting him, but evidently there was a majority in favor of arresting him. ; . /

Mr. de Valera had been in Co. Clare for some days, and - it was apparent that an attempt would be made to arrest him, because it was impossible to conceal the secret that an elaborate search had been made for him in the last day or two.

There is a strong feeling here that the arrest will assist the Republicans in securing the re-election of de Valera for the constituency.—Press Association Special Correspondent, Speaking on Wednesday, August 15, at Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, President Cosgrave complained of calumnies which, he said, r had . been circulated by de Valera in America at a moment when he w r as actually sending for* two senators in order ;to make peace'. That, said Mr. Cosgrave, showed the character of the man. '

Why .de Valera was Arrested The following is from a statement issued by the Irish Government Publicity Department:

Mr. de Valera’s share of the responsibility for all that has happened. in . Ireland since the Treaty was signed has never been in doubt; . ‘ '

His speeches .at Carrick-on-Suir and Thurles on St. Patrick’s Day, 1922, are ell remembered, for in them be suggested what has since, come to pass, the shedding of the blood of Irishmen and of Irish representatives. At Carrick-onSuir,- he said if the Treaty were accepted the fight for freedom would still go on/; and the Irish people, instead of fighting foreign soldiers, would have to fight the Irish soldiers of am Irish Government set up by .Irishmen. If the Treaty was not rejected, perhaps it ‘was over the bodies of the young men ho saw around him that day that the fight for Irish freedom would be fought. At Thurles on the same day he said ; “If -they accepted the Treaty, and if the Volunteers of the future tried to complete the work the- Volunteers of , the last -four years had been attempting, they would have to complete it not over the bodies of foreign soldiers but over the- dead bodies of their own countrymen. They would’have to wade through Irish blood, through the blood of trie soldiers of the Irish -Government/; arid through, ; perhaps, the blood of some of the members, of trie Government in order to get Irish freedom.” ■’ ‘ V' -•' /--i'. , ;v t When in June of last yea? the Irregulars, refusing toaccept the verdict of the general election and in contemplation of a coup ' d’etat , threw their final challenge to the Government,: Mr. de . Valera ranged - himself /definitely on their: . side arid.. defended them ; iri ‘ all /the/ bloodshed and destruction for.; which they were;' responsible. When their

semi-military efforts failed and they turned to'more.'desperate means lie it was who suggested, on September 6, 1922, that the . Bail should be proclaimed as an illegal assembly. • • ' -

Policy of Assassination.

In all the subsequent criminal proceedings of the Irregulars it is clear that he was consulted. “Could you arrange to keep regularly in touch with the President?” wrote the A.A.C.S. on October 31. , “It would be well that we should have his opinion on proposed military action, as it may affect his Cabinet. _ You might get his opinion on the following:

“The issue of a proclamation declaring the P.G. (Provisional Government) illegal, and that after a certain date anyone attending their Parliament is liable to suffer a traitor’s fate.”

This proposal to assassinate members of the Bail duly bore fruit, and a- proclamation was issued on November 17, signed by Mr. de Valera, declaring the members of the Government and “their adherents” rebels against “the Republic.” Three weeks afterwards Deputy Sean Hales was assassinated on his way to attend Parliament, and Padraig G. 0. Maille, Deputy Speaker, was seriously wounded, and two days afterwards Mr. de Valera’s organ boasted of the murder as “the just extermination of one of a treacherous band.”

The formation of a mock government in November, with himself as president, was, with Mr. de Valera’s connivance, and this so-called Government was thereafter quoted as the authority for all Irregular crimes. Mr, de Valera himself definitely took responsibility for military action. “In regard to defence,” he wrote on November 13, 1922, “the C.S. agrees that for the present the best plan would be that his name and mine should appear on any official documents relating to the Department of Defence.”

The nature of the military action is well remembered. The destruction of trains and railways, the shooting of engine-drivers, the road-side executions, the burning of the children of Deputy McGarry, the shooting-up of Ballyconnell, the kidnappings, the mining, the burning of private houses, public buildings, picture-houses, and the issue wholesale of threatening notices.

To all these things Mr. de Valera gave full encouragement, and in an official communique, issued on November 5 he stated: “Victory for the Republic or utter defeat and extermination are now the alternatives.”

Oh February 15, 1923, he wrote to Joseph McGarrity, Philadelphia:—“One big effort from our friends everywhere, and I think we would finally smash the Free State.” And again:—“If this war were finished Ireland would not have the heart to fight any other Avar for generations' so we must see it through.”

To J. J. O’Kelly he wrote: —“We are at the critical stage now. If our friends everywhere made one big.effort ■we could win -and smash the others. It must be death or glory for us now.” ■ - ... ■

The Last Stages.

Thus from a safe retreat he encouraged his followers to continue the mean form of warfare, to look for death whilst he kept safe for glory. -But- all failed, and in a letter dated February 26,' immediately after what Miss MacSwiney described as the. “Deasy debacle,” he wrote;

“I have been condemned to view the Tragedy here for the last year as through a wall of glass, powerless to intervene effectively.” f

He now tries to shelter himself behind the political campaign, but he must take his place with his associates and dupes until such time as he 1 and the others can be released without injury to the public safety.