Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-11
by PERCY sARI..


LONDON, Dec. l0.--Lloyd George
brings to Ireland the open hand of
peace and the cenchcd fist OF mar
tial law. 1t is n double c-barrcled Of
ferinS-thc final decision of the Brit
ish Cnbinct-to deal softly with those
vino earnestly wish an Irish peace,
and with rigid hardness to those who
persist in n campaign Of murder" to
gain independence.
AS 1 cabled Thursday night. mar
tial law over the disaffccted area OF
Southern ireland will go into effect
Immediately. Men in Irish republi-
can uniforr, CT men who bear weap-
ons against the crown forces will be
| subject to court-martial. The pcnal-
| ty for these acts Is death
To those associations and clements
of Southern Ireland who earnestly
hope for peace, Lloyd George adj
dresses the hope that continued ne
gotiation may result in n solution OF
the problem. But the solution must
be something far short of complete
independence. which the British gov
crnment Will never grant
The Cabinet will deal with members
of the Dali Eireann; but they must
be members who are not tainted with
crime and who have proved them
selves alien to- the so-styled murder
gangs" which have terrorized the
South OF Ireland. Invitation for the
moderate members of the Irish Par
lament to visit England. where they
are assured of n hearing ut Downing
Street. Is implied in the Premier's
momentous address today to the
House OF Commons. In fact, suS-
gesticns looking TO peace may como
from any recognized and representa-
tive group of Irishmen." and they are
assured OF consideration.
To Crush Armed Resistance.
The government will not only have
nothing to do with the fomenters OF
armed outbreaks, but it will do its
utmost to crush them and their move
ment
I'VE shall continue to intensity our
campaign against the small, highly
organized and desperate minority
which is using murder and outrage to
attain it's ends. ana, which will bring
peace neither to Ireland nor to Great
Britain" Lloyd George declared.
"On the other hand. we shall en-
courage every agency that has shown
itself to be really anxious fer set
tlement leading 10 lasting peace"
Referring to the recent communi-
cation from Galway County Council
asking directly for peace, Lloyd
George called it "a remarkable re-
solution. requiring great courage in
its denunciation OF the murder pro-
gram--the first OF it's kind we have
yet seen"
To the suggestion that the ban on
the Dali Eireann be lifted. the Pre-
mier replied that permission to the
Irish Parliament to choose their own
delegates for peace mission was
highly impracticable.
He Bars All the Guilty.
Some OF the Dali Eireann's mem
bcrs are guilty of crime" he said.
crime that would render them liable
TO punishment In any civilized coun-
try. To such as these safe conducts
to England cannot DO granted. But
we are willing to grant il to those
who are not guilty OF such crime"
Announcement in Commons OF tho
imposition of martial law was fol-
lowed quickly by n similar announce
ment from the Irish Office. The limits
W WHich the law VIII DO confined
have not yet been determined.
Il shall ask the House not TO In
stst upon my naming here the ex-
act areas which Will be subject to
martial law" said the Prime Minister.
for I wish to get tho notices there
first.
The proclamations will permit all
arms to be surrendered to the crown
forces or to the parish priests. In
the latter event, tho priests will not
be questioned regarding the origin es
the weapons. provided they VIII guar
antee their immediate surrender to
the police.
Those who retain weapons after
date to no named In the proclama-
tion VIII ba liable to conrt-nar,iai
and y the death penaItyi Sln,ilarly.
fcontinued on Second RsEc.l IS