The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-21
CHARGES LLOYD GEORGE
LNVOKES IGNORANT PASSION
/ IN JUSTIFYING IRISH POLICY
Gardiner Declares Public Indignation Is Rising Rapidly
Over Shameful Atrocities and Predicts Premiers
Ultimate Defeat as Political Parties Become
Aroused to Shocking Situation

struck decent men like a blow. He ap-
peals frankly to the gutter and the
worst passions of the mob.
The pretence that reprisals are not
authorized was no longer put for
ward. Lloyd George speaks as if war
were raging in Ireland. and he sets
himself to arouse the same mob pas
sion against the Irish as during the
late war he raised against Germany.
He believes he can do it and can
overwhelm the rising tide of public
indignation by O higher tide of ignor-
ant passion.
In this shameless gamble think he
will lose. While he could keep the
public ignorant, it's mind fixed only on
the policemen, he was winning. But
the conspiracy of silence Is breaking
down and though he refused to permit
public inquiry into the terror, he
cannot stop the investigation by labor.
Liberal and women's organizations.
These are coming back with a dew
astating indictment. The Peace With
Ireland Council asked Lord Bryce to
reconstitute the commission that in
quired into the atrocities in Belgium,
and though Lord Bryces great age
prevents him from undertaking the
task, the work will be done by other
men of irreproachable authority and
reputation.
Nor do believe Lloyd Georges cal
culation that he has the mob with
him is sound. He Is a very great ar
list In mob psychology. He rarely
makes a mistake, but there are evil
dences that even the mob's mind is
hating and doubtful.
The extraordinary demonstration Of
public sympathy as the body of Lord
Mayor MacSwiney was borne through
the streets of London astonished every
one, and the most popular comment
have heard on the burial Of the I'M
known soldier in Westminster Abbey
was
Possibly he is an Irishman."
English Mobs Only Ignorant.
| At bottom, no English mob Is ma
| lignant; it is only ignorant. Remove
the ignorance, awaken Its syInpathies
and it is n human, reasonable creature.
1t sins from lack OF knowledge, and
not want OF heart.
It is claimed by the Government
! that they are getting at the murder
gang" and shooting them at sight.
am assured that for the most part
these men are not Irishmen, but wild
spirits let loose by the war, in some
cases English, some American, some
Australian. 1 have Of course, nc
means of confirming this.
But what Is clear is that the reign OF
terror has no bearing on the matter
If The Government knew the real muir
derers and was able to mark them
down, reprisals would become unintel-
| ligible and unnecessary, as well as
wicked. For the reprisals are directed
indiscriminately against the whole
community and involve not the guilty
but the innocent.
II the Government knows the muir
derers, what defence have they fol
burning down towns and creameries
which have nothing to do with the
criminals? Reprisals in any case are
barbarous policy which no success
could justify. but in this case it is
sheer frightfulness that has not even
an excuse for frightfulness. 1 am con-
| fident that the Liberal spirit OF Eng
land will exact heavy penalty upon
its authors.