Evening star., 1920-12-09
WOMEN Of IRELAND
STEE[ED FOR FIGHT
Widow of Terrence MacSWi.
ney Declares Erin Must
Be Recognized.

De neCOUnlZeU.
Proponents in Ireland of an Irish
republic are reserved that England
shall have no peace; that the world
shall have no peace. that the world
lie is recognized" Mrs. Muriel Mac
SwineX, widow of the late lord mayor
of Cork declared today before the
unofficial American commission on
conditions in Ireland, sitting at Odd
Fellows Hall.
Mrs. MacSwiney said material relief
Tor her countrymen was necessary. for
many were starving.
But what we want more" she add
land out. I think the people of Ire
land would choose freedom and our
republic rather than food if they were
forced to choose between them"
Mrs. MacSwiney thus summed up
her statement before the commission
cital Of conditions in her homeland
and of the life-history of her kus-
band, who died in Brixton prison.
London, as the result of a hunger
strike.
Women Are Determined.
The women of Ireland. she said.
are organized as well as the men and
their attitude is one of solidarity.
"Ihe women of Ireland have steelcd
declared. 'The women of Ireland sell
dom weep now"
The witness stated that she had
been interested in the Irish cause
since girlhood. having become SYM
pathetic because of the poverty of
the majority of her countrymen.
my family" she said, like most
other wealthy people in ireland, were
for g long time satisfied to let well
enough alone Thank God, that time
has passed. and now most all classes
in Ireland, Irrespective OF religion, are
in favor of freedom"
The young woman described the fire.
Quent arrests of her husband before
and after her marriage. ana said that
1ae had been separated from him dtfcz
fnt the greater part Of their mar.
rfed life, having spent but one Christ
mas together during that time.
She detailed the treatment he re-
ceived in different prisons in Ireland
and England from the time before the
Easter insurrection," when he was
first incarcerated, until he died in
Brixton prison after fasting for sew
enty-two days.
Most of the time it was barbarous,'
she said.
She said it was while she was at
tending to the wants of the Cork men
in prison that she became engaged to
her husband, and that he was still in
termed at Bromyard. England, when
she married him.
my husband was arrested frequent
ly," she continued, "but up until his
last arrest was never tried on any
charge. He was a marked man, and
whenever any disturbance took place
in Ireland the police would arrest
him."
She told a pitiful story of the birth
of her child while her husband was
interned at Dundalk.
Before relating the story of her
husbands last arrest, while officiat-
ing as lord mayor of Cork, Mrs. Mac
Swiney gave a graphic description of
the murder of Thomas McCurtain. her
husbands predecessor who, she said,
was visited at night and shot dead in
the presence of his wife and five chill
dren.
my husband felt he would be tried
and sentenced the last time he was
arrested" Mrs. MacSwiney said. in de-
scribing the event which eliminated
in his death. e
Il was aware Of his intention to
fast. In fact, he started his fast three
days before his trial / did not pro-
test, because knew he knew what
was best for Ireland. He had always
wanted to give his life for his coun-
try, II necessary, and 1 felt that he
knew best.
Tried ON Three Charges.
''They tried him on three charges.
all Of which were ridiculous to free
people. He was convicted and sem
fenced to two years in Brixton. He
had not eaten for six days"
At the request of several members
of the committee, the witness read
her husbands speech Of acceptance of
the office of lord mayor of Cork, which
was included in the charge of pos
4. I.
spoke of the patriotic utterances of
the Irish patriot many in the hall
gave way to their feelings.
ut was his spirit that permitted
him to live so long after he started
his fast" she said. Il don't believe I
could have stood it, especially during
the last few days. had I not known
that he was dying the way he had
always wanted to die. His counte-
nance radiated happiness. contentment
and peace. and made me strong to
bear my sorrow and practice the ad-
vice he gave all Irishmen that the
cause of Ireland must be carried on
in joy and not in tears"
Mrs. MacSwiney concluded her tes-
timony when she had related all cir
cumstances that led up to her hus-
after simply saying "that part is well
known and there is little to telr' she
left the stand.
Miss Mary MacSwiney, sister of the
lord mayor, again took the stand to
give the commission details of the
lord mayors funeral. which was not
attended by his widow.
Miss Mary MacSwiney yesterday aft
ernoon strongly protested against the
insinuations that her fellow repub-
licans in Ireland had done anything
to secure aid from the central pow
ers during the war. She added. how
ever that even had they done so. it
would have been justifiable under the
customs of nations forming their own
alliances to combat another nation
with which they are at war.
"France was glad to get English
help" she declared. land England was
equally glad to get American gold to
aid her when she could get it. Any
nation has a right to take gold from
another We believed. as understand
Americans believed. that the war was
to protect smaller nations and make
the world safe for democracy. but
such has not beer. the case.
saThe world has been made safe for
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