Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-25
GOVT PROMISED
NOT TO USE ARMY
TO CRUSH ULSTER
Documents Disclose Officially
Fact That Officers Were Given
Written Guarantee.
RIGHT TO MAINTAIN LAW
AND ORDER RETAINED
Colonel John SeeIy Resigns as
Secretary of State for
War.

LONDON. March 25.--Colonel John
Seely today resigned his portfolio as
secretary of state for war in the
British cabinet.
49, Documents made public disclose
tfss, fact that the British Government
gaNS officers in Ireland a written
guarantee that they would not use the
army to crush listers political oppo-
Eition to the home rule bill.
The correspondence, however, points
out that the government retains its
right to use the army to maintain law
and order
The orders issued by the war office
IN respect 10 the duties of the army in
Ireland, chiefly in connection with the
protection of government stores, arms
and ammunition, are given very conf
pletely. The correspondence. how
ever, omits the verbal communication
made by General Sir Arthur Paget to
the officers at the Curragh camp
which led TO their designations, and
which the government argues was the
result of misunderstanding"
Laws Version Correct.
That the version of General Paget's
communication read by Andrew
Bonar Law, leader of the opposition
in the House of Commons on Mon
day. was substantially correct seems
clearly indicated. Mr.. Law on that
occasion read a letter in which Gen
eral Paget stated that 'actiye opera
tions we're to begin against Ulster,
and that 1t was expected the country
would be in q blaze by Saturday.
The irish commander-in-c chief wrote
that he was in close communication
with the war office and had received
instructions from headquarters TO
notify his officers that those of
them donliciled in Ulster would be al
lowed to disappear and be afterward
reinstated. They must, however, give
their word Of honor not to fight for
Ulster.
In the published correspondence
Brigad adler General Hubert Cough un-
derl' nes phrases such as 'active
operations" when asking for further
information, and 1t appears evident
that he was quoting the remarks Of
General Paget.
The correspondence between the
war office and the army officers in
ireland. which led to the recent
wholesale designations and reinstate-
ments, was made public in the shape
Of a white paper" or official COM
munication to the houses Of Parlia-
ment.
1T car, be seen from this corresponds
enoe shat the war 5lfi5e 0;4o safo. .iltad
early IN December of the possibility of
RESERVATIONS of officers In case the
Ulster situation came to q crisis. In
consequence of this information
Colonel John Seeiy, the secretary of
state for war, interviewed the gen
eral officers in command and eX-
planned to them that an officer of the
British army was compelled to obey
orders to shoot only In case the order
SzFa a WOO hlta on ITfadnr hn cir
cumstances."
Illegal Orders Not Intended.
The secretary for war told them
that no one from general down to
q private was expected TO use more
force than was required to maintain
order and the safety of life and prop
erty. He continued:
IF. therefore, officers and men of
the British army have been led to
believe that there is possibility that
they might be called upon to take
outrageous action; for instance, to
massacre a demonstra ton of Orange
men who are causing no danger to
the lives of their neighbors, bad as
would be the effects on discipline in
the army nevertheless, 1t is true that
they are in fact and in law justified
In a refusal to obey.
"There never has been and is not
now any intention, however. of giving
outrageous and Illegal orders to the
troops.
"The law will be respected and must
be obeyed. What must now be faced
lis the possibility of action being re-
quired by troops In supporting the
civil power in protecting lives and
property when the police ls unable to
hold it's own.
Held officers Responsible.
ATTEMPTS have been made 10 dis |
suade the troops from obeying law
fuI orders given to them acting in |
support of the civil power. These |
attempts have amounted to the claim |
tat officers and men of the army I
could pick and choose between law
ful and reasonable orders, saying they |
would obey In one case and not in !
another"
Colonel Seely said that there had |
not been a single case of lack of dis |
cipline in this respect in the British |
army.
Ann - % F- F-KN Fns