The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-01-13
Dublin, ireland, December Is 1915.

Dublin, Ireland, December Is 1915.
The National Aid Association, the
workings of which seem to be little
understood in America, had it's origin
in the events Immediately following
the surrender of the Irish Rebels in
Dublin on April Goth.
Martial law was proclaimed and
reign of terror ushered in which baf-
f1es all powers OF description. Whole
sale arrests, searchings and night
raids were the order of the day. Floors
were uprooted, walls smashed in, beds
and upholstery of all kinds ripped
open in the search for arms; ruthless
and unnecessary destruction of house
hold goods and unrestrained pillage
of private property and valuables by
the soldiers were the horrible record
of that awful time. The civilian
population was at the mercy of the
military dictator. Then came the
shootings and deportations which
were calculated to overawe and COW
the populace. Finally came the grim
spectre of starvation, as if to COM
plete their misery.
With breadwiners deported or kill
ed, hundreds of households were left
absolutely without means of support.
Military searching parties had strip
ped others of their valuables and
money. Fathers, sons and brothers
were imprisoned without even the
formality of trial.
To meet these conditions the Ma
tional Aid Association was formed. 1t
is non-partisan body, presided over
by the venerable DR.. Walsh, Arch.
bishop of Dublin, with whom are as
ISOLATED many public men and women,
chiefly the former co-workers of the
executed and deported men. But the
general routine and detail work of
the association is carried on by the
Cumann-na-Ban, body of patriotic
women organized as an auxiliary of
the Irish Volunteers. A sub-commit-
tee was formed for Dublin and an
other for each of the provincial dis
tricts from which deportations had
been made. These have their head
quarters in Cork, limerick, Galway
and Wexford. Dublin City and Coun-
ty were subdivided into districts, each
in charge of a district committee. The
corps to which l belonged was as
signed, as its sphere of operations, the
territory lying between the Phoenix
Park and O'Connell Street, bounded
on the north by the Circular Road and
running south to the quays and Park
gate Street. We were supplied with
list containing the name of every resi-
dent in that neighborhood who had
been killed, permanently injured or
deported, and blank form on which
to fill in the details of his occupation,
salary, dependents, rent of apart
ments, etc. These forms were re-
turned to the District Committee
which allotted a weekly sum, fixed
in proportion to the loss sustained by
the sufferers. Where the chief sup
port of family was killed or perma-
nently disabled the case was sent
forward to the Executive Committee
for special consideration.
Nf 1,n Df
nature that only women could handle
them with propriety, and it is entirely
due to the tact and discretion of the
Cumann no Ban workers that the
National Aid Association has been
able to reach the hearts of the people
and carry into the homes of the suf-
ferers a much needed relief that was
entirely free from the faint of Char
ity" as utterly abhorrent to a proud
and sensitive people. Indeed, it was
this super-sensitiveness on the part
of many deserving families that made
the work most difficult at first, and
only the exercise of great diplomacy
made it possible to alleviate their
hardships at all. Feminine tact sue
ceeded where masculine efforts failed
and the girls of the Cumann no Ban
soon gained the confidence and es-
TEEN of the nerve-wrecked mothers
and wives who had come to regard
every stranger askance.
Each Thursday, supplied with list
of names and allowances for same,
we started our rounds and distributed
the money to each family as already
provided for, securing from each reel.
pient receipt for same, and for
warding these receipts to the Commit
tee not later than the following Mon
day.
There are ten relief districts in Dub
lin with subcommittee in charge of
each. Two secretaries from each
sub. committee form the Executive
Committee of 20, which supervises the
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