The Washington herald., 1920-07-07

IRELAND FACING
TERRIBLE CONFLICT.
DECLARES ACKERMAN
coErrNuED from PAGE oNs.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.
Every time ] go there and look for
Sim Feip friends meet them Ia
different houses ana get information
only Z short while before ~ to
where they may be seen.
TAAvelers Fesr lseisna.
BosIdes the two governments of
Ireland, the second most striking
fact Is that travellers leaye London
In fear and trembling at the pros
pect OF visiting Ireland. In con-
trast to the usual crowded trains
and boats from England to ireland
in April. there were only three first
class passengers on the train which
left London. the Bishop of Ely. a
British officer and myself.
Sim Fein leaders tried to con-
yfnc6 me how Anfair was the
charge of murder against the Sim
Feiu by saying that every man
murdered was either connected with
the British secret service or was a
policeman who had had charge OF
Sim Fein prisoners in some British
jail. IL does give one a feeling of
security to know that the murders
are not promiscuous, but when
there is murder committed every
Irishman Is ignorant of what hap
pened.
Illustrating this underground war
psychology a friend of mine said
he was coming out of his office one
day when he heard several shots
fired not far down the street. Op-
posite him on the same street was
an electrician on a pole working
with the wires. Although this elec-
trician could have seen every act
of murder by looking around. he
never moved his head Even the
people who passed the wounded
man offered no assistance. They
all wanted to be in a position to say
they knew nothing about 1t, IL
called to court
OF course no one knows how long
this present security may last for
there is no denying the fact that
one does feel as safe in Dublin as
In London. Everyone told me, how
ever. that the feeling between the
population and the troops was be-
coming more strained all the time.
People BristIe Hatred.
But. as Lady Fingal remarked.
the Irish draw a distinction be-
tween soldiers wearing tin hats and
carrying bayonetted rifles. and the
plain British Tommy who strolls
about the city unarmed. This is
strikingly noticeable in Dublin
when the troops march through the
streets equipped for fight and when
they parade beside the bsrbed wire
entanglements such as the one seen
at Kingstown docks, at Dublin
Castle and around the Bank OF Ire
land. SThe population fairly bristles
With hatred. Even my car driver.
overcome by a small detachme mt
which held us up at a street cor
ner. remarked that III them fell
lows would leave, Ireland would
soon settle down" and "them's the
fellows that makes the whole world
think we're savages."
On the other hand. British SOL
diers of duty walk about the
streets and mix with the popula
all, even by the Irish girls who
Green.
Subsequent articles will COM
prise an interview with Arthur
Griffiths, offering TO accept Ameri-
can mediation. an interview with
Sir Horace Plunkett, suggesting an
! individual American mediator. and
a statement of the reasons for me.
diation and the nature OF the oppo-
sition, but throughout all these ar
ticles ii will be evident that II
some one commanding figure can in
tervene in Ireland as mediator the
prospects OF success are fairly
bright The Sim Fein. the British
government and the Irish people
outside the six counties of Ulster
will welcome IL but much depends
upon the man who undertakes the
difficult task of mediation.
Copyright. t3los ry Public edger Col