El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-11-06
WAR IS PROVING
BLOW To IRISH
Work. Of RELIEF
Buying Of Farms for Poor Of
West Part Is Halted
Indefinitely.
LACE MAKING IS
STOPPED BY WAR

~ UBLIN. Ireland. Nov. 6.-Amoug
benevolent activities in Ireland
- injuriously affected by the war
is the work Of the Congested Districts
board Established by arthur Balfour
when chief secretary for ireland a
quarter of q century ago. it has been
fostered by all subsequent governments
and has done a vast amount OF useful
service in improving the condition OF
the people Of the west. The PECULIARLY
Of these pOverty-Srricken communities
is that the country is greatly over
populated where the land is rocky. bad
and unproductive, and much under
populated in the immediate neighbOr-
hood where there are great tracts OF
grazing land
Purchases Must Cease.
The board has power 70 buy land
whether tenanted or untenanted and to
distribute IL in ailOtments to the peO-
pie They can acquire this land com
pulsOrlly where necessary, and under
these powers have. after long fight
succeeded in eLprOprlaung the marquis
OF Clanricarde whose estate near
OF the hottest Of storm centers in the
land war Within the past five years
they have bought 612 estates Of l.
500 lS5 acres at a total price Of over
$54,0ut.O0u. and there is a great deal
more land that they might usefuliy
buy and resettle- BY direction Of the
u easury, in consequences Of the war
these purchases have now been sus-
pended They may continue with what
money they have. but are restrained
from any further undertakings TIL the
war IS over and possibly for long aft
ervTards- This interruption Of a Valu-
able and vital work for the benefit Of
the poorest part Of the Irish people is
much regretted. but seems TO be re-
garded as inevitable in the financial
circumstances Of the time
Lace Industry Crippled.
Inc BOARD. besides its agricultural
work, does great deal for the pro-
motion OF cottage industries This too
has been seriously hit By the war Last
year attention was called 70 a falling
OF IN the earnings Of the boards lace
and crochet classes due partly to the
competition OF Austria which had
started TO make Irish lace" and part
Il 70 the dullness in the American
market. The outbreak Of the war led
20 economies in dress Lace was
luxury banned by savings committees.
and the workers Of the west suffered
for IT,
Nhlcn had been close on TO 80. 600
pounds $4,000 a year fell to II. goo.
InlrtE three lace classes had 10 be
closed down and the earnings of the
Few Of them have fortunately been
able 10 obtain employment as knitters
Ior the war office In some districts
the amount earned by the women had
or their savings IL was possible in uu-
merous Instances 10 buy stock for the
land and provide capital to improve
permanently the condition Of these lit
lie farms. as well as 10 secure a fuller
supply OF milk for the children The
board IS doing its best 20 furnish other
=FenueS or employment. but so far
Iheir efforts are merely experimental
lnese bleak western coasts are. as the
Inhabitants call them. the last land in
Europe and the nearest parishes TO
america but the world war has found
them out
Tobacco Loss HEAVY.
Industrial Ireland viii suffer a ser
lcus war loss in the tobacco trade. not
sreat perhaps in financial amount. but
important as affecting a very hopeful
future prospect The country is par
llcularly well suited for growing to-
pacco- Some years ago il was per
united by the government which had
formerly forbidden it. Experiments
We're encourag ed 10 put their capital
INTO tobacco crops Successful crops
were grown notably in Meath. Wex-
FORD and LOuth- Irish tobacco had
passed beyond the stage Of-experiment
and had outlived the wit OF the comic
papers Pipe tobacco. as well as cigars
ano> cigarets grown in Ireland. found
q Eood sale. but il is now declared
that the taxes in the new budget viii
ami h1late the industry and deprive the
workers Of source OF profitable en-
ployment on the land.