Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-09
MISS M'ACSN|NEy
TEST|FES 8 HOURS
Tells Commission That Britain
Seeks to Starve Ireland by
Reign of Terror and Firing
Religious Hatreds

Washington, Dec. S.-Charges that the
British government has kept alive and
continuously stirred religious hatred in
Ireland and has sought reign Of terror"
to starve that country into submission
brought to Il conclusion eight hours of
testimony to-day by Miss Mary Mac
Swiney. sister of the late lord mayor. of
Cork, before the commission from the
committee of one hundred investigating
the Irish question.
Miss MacSwiney told the commission
that she and Mrs. Muriel MacSwiney, the
lord mayors widow, had come from
Ire and TO laid the commission in obtain
ing the true facts" She made tho predic-
ton that ireland would gain it's freedom
even though "England had to be beaten
to the ground" Her sister-inlaw will be
heard tomorrow.
Miss MacSwiney punctuated her story OF
the movement for Irish freedom with the
assertion that the United states had not
lived up to its ideal of making the woriu
safe for democracy"
I'VE are not disturbers,' the witness
said. 1--WE want just to be left alone We
are not using coercion and we will not
be coerced We simply want England to
clear out; we'll forgive her of everything,
if she wi only leave us alone.
I'VE are going to get our freedom, she
continued THAT. every Irish republican
knows for you cannot keep in contlhual
slavery a people every one OF whom IL
ready to die for his country
Miss MacSwiney recounted IN
stances which she said proved that
the British government was deiioer-
atelv firing religious hatreds and
added that there would be no relig-
ious differences "if the Protestants
Of
d side interference" The Irish have not
persecuted anybody, she asserted, add
ing that the peace and prosperity OF
the large Jewish quarters IN CORK
and Dublin attested to that fact' The
witness said that where there are no
Black and Tan police there reigns
peace and prosperity and satisfied
population"
"The British government" Miss
MacSwiney continued, has Instituted
a reign Of terror in Ireland 1t seeks
to destroy property and to throw
people out of work. II wants to starve
us into submission. The irish people
don't want war. If England will get
out. we will establish prosperity in
our republic. We will keep our ports
open and promise to let none use them
as a war base.
| Senator Walsh of Massachusetts. a
member of the commission. propounding
a series of questions. led the witness
, 20 declare that de facto government
had been created in Ireland and that
under II the citizens of the provisional
republic seek to govern themselves. Also
under his questioning. Miss MacSwiney
said that the British courts sat behind
barbed wire barricades and sand bags
surrounded by a regiment of soldiers
waiting for cases which never come
while the Irish republicans, she said
turn their controversies over TO their
own courts; sitting in secret and abide
by their decisions without further lit!ga-
tion.
Senator Walsh asked the witness tc
place in the record all facts concerning
the formation Of the provisional republic
it's declaration of independence and its
methods of dealing with the people. An
other question from the Massachusetts
senator brought the declaration that the
history of the governments creation found
an exact parallel in the Declaration
Indenendence by the 13 American colonies
To this she added that, as was the cast
with Americas early struggles France
was looked upon as the best friend of tn,
Irish freedom movement.