Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1920-10-30
Tells OF Conditions in Ireland
and Suffcrings of the
Inhabitants.
Touching Description of Breken
Homes and Broken Hearts
in Erin.
Pays Tribute To Behavior and Char
acter of Irish Men and
Women.
COUNTRY UNDER MARTIAL LAW.

Strangers here must be very care
tul as to remarks, as one never
knows who one is talking to. Some
thing wrongly said may mean a bull
let from an unknown source"
Writing from Belfast, Ireland, a
New Yorker scrubbed the above on
the margin of his letter. This New
Yorker Is weE-known Hebrew. who
originated on the lower East Side.
He Is not an erudite man, but he is
an observing one. He. has been tray
cling in Ireland for some time, and
his letter Is to George Whiting, an
freshman and member of the
theatrical team of Whiting and Burt.
His letter tells something of sondi-
tons In Ireland as seen by an i'm
partial observer. 1t sounds like a
description of a country held by the
Germans during the late war. The
writer says:
"On entering the country every
body and everything is searched for
firearms and ammunition. Practi-
cally the whole of ireland Is under
martial law. The curfew tolls at
1880 p. m, and Is kept until a. m.
Only doctors, firemen and others
~ hoFC 6OOu NiuoC " ttIDly IOI ~
permit to be out between given
hours can enter the street to brave
the challenge that the soldiers hurl
at one, which is far too short, and
often never repeated by word, bat by
shot. Many an innocent man has
/ been shot dead under such cireum-
stances by the very young soldier
that is being used for enforcing the
law here. Yes, soldiers far too
young and eager to use the gun lust
because they are entrusted or in
vested with such power.
'At one end of the city one can
see the walls of houses and bil1-
boards chalked up with such writ
! lngs as Up rebelsl' Up Sim Fein!'
! Down the Crown!s etc, while at the
other end of the city the Union Jack
Is displayed from almost every
house. A factional war is ensuing.
A member of one faction living In
the neighborhood OF the other fac
ton will receive a message to move
or else the end will be soon, and
Will quietly and quickly do so, with
out notifying the military authori-
ties who have placarded the city de-
manding such notices should be
turned over toI them at once. Many
q good old home that some family
has occupied for the past thirty or
forty years had to be abandoned
quickly and sold for nearly nothing,
thereby giving up priceless home
treasures and family heirlooms. And
80 many an old Irish heart is broken
as well as the home.
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Mr.
MacSwiney, is on his thirty-eeventh
day of hunger striking. Each day
his condition is reported as weak It
is being rumored that It only re-
quires this mans death to ignite the
torch OF civil war and terrible out
rage and burst OF feeling.
Every possible petition has been
made on the Mayors behalf to Sc
cure the freedom of him and his
compatriots who are undergoing
sentence for seditious carvings on.
The King, Prime Minister, every for
etgn legation and ecclesiastical DOW
er have been solicited for the May
or's release. The King Of England
answered he was powerless In the
matter.
Everything is rather quiet here
and everywhere in Ireland just now.
But 1t is a quietness that bears III
boding. An unseen brewing is now
taking place. 1t is the quiet before
the outburst.
Everywhere poverty and terrible
famine prevail; yet by the clear-cut
features of the young folks, the
girls wonderful black hair, clear
eyes, very white skin and intelligent
expression, the young mems rudy
cheeks, sharp eyes and determined
looks, one who appreciates real ply
steal types would marvel at these
humans were they transplanted to
troubleless country and clothed in
the best. They are not, as ie COM
mon In other countries among the
poorer masses, slovenly clothed and
of sloveply carriage and expression.
The clothing here Is of very poor
texture, to be sure, but the carriage,
expression and determination OF each
Individual is something to marvel
at. So the land of the shamrock and
the harp Is in deep suffering and
trouble"