New-York tribune., 1920-11-06
Troops Guarding Towns
TO Curb ReprisaIs; Sim
Feiners in Battle Kill
Two and Wound MANY
Entire Counties II,
Reign of Terror
S 100000 Damage in
One Section; Hatred of
British Increases Daily
By rank Getty
Special CuJle ia Yac y,.,h.,

'oaYrisht l92p, New York Tribune inc
DUBLIN, Nov. Sensational re
ports q clashes between Sim Fein
volunteers and the police and military
III the west Of Ireland reached Dublin
tonight. The people of Ballinalee
and towns in the vicinity are in terror
as result Of the sacking Of the vii
lage Of Granard Wednesday night and
the ambushing of some of the military
few hours later at Ballina!ee in
what turned out to be one of the fierc
est small battles Of the Irish war"
More than million dollars worth of
damage was done.
To-day the fighting in that district
was renewed, this time at Edgeworths-
town, where again the crown forces
were worsted, losing two killed and
many wounded. The whole county Of
Longford tonight is in fear Of re.
prisals.
City of Athlone Raided
The city OF Athlonc, which lies on
the River Shannon, partly in County
Roscommon and partly in West Meath,
was terrorized by the police ca~iv TO-
Gay, and many shots were fred as they
stormed through the streets. A whole-
sale grocery store and a tavern were
destroyed by fires set by the soldiers.
The village of Nenagh, in County
Tipperary, which suffered from terrible
reprisals last Tuesday. was attacked
again last night in reprisal for the
killing Of a military officer. The bars
and printing works in the village were
destroyed by fire, machinery demol-
ished and the local creamery blown Up.
According to Il press association re-
port two men who had been arrested
by the police were shot dead when they
attempted to escape.
have just returned to Dublin after
a fortnights trip through the villages
of the south OF Ireland. There has
been little eXaggeration in the ac-
exist these days in the counties OF
inhabitants OF the villages in these
affected areas live from day to day
literally in fear OF their lives and
property.
Black and Tans Unchecked
To accuse any government OF CON
nivance in tie deeds perpetrated daily
in ireland by its armed forces would
be to place that government outside the
nale Of civilization. The only conclu-
sion possible is that the Royal
branches which have assmlated the
incredible discipline. The military
forces in most instances are kept we'll
in hand and in many cases British sol
nicrs have been iAstrumeatal IN saving
the lives Of civilians and their property
from the vengeance Of the marauders.
The police, who have been responsi-
Die for the numerous outrages OF the
last fortnight unQuestionablv have had
terrible provocation. But their wrath
has been visited largely upon the in
noccnt. even if hostile, inhabitants
OF small Irish towns. In many autheA-
ticated instances their reprisals have
been inexcusable on any grounds. The
British government S announced poilcy
of "reprisala. however STERN" to repress
murder in Ireland, is being too loosely
interpreted By individual groups OF its
forces
In many parts of the south ! was
informed that there had been a de-
cided slump in popular sympathy with
the extremist element OF Sim Fein.
| observed instances OF what the Chief
Secretary, Sir Hamar Greenwood, meant
when he exclaimed in the House of
Commons: 1--WE are breaking the ter
ror." 1t is only natural that even re
publican sympathizers should hear,
with feelings of justihable trcpidation
of the murder of policemen in their
vicinity, because the vengeance of the
Black and Tans is swift and terrible
and it falls. as I have said, upon the
guilty and guiltless alike.
Hatred Of British Grows
But the growing terror of police re-
prisals is going hand in hand with a
growing hatred Of Great Britain, and
the situation, consequently, IS growing
worse and not better.
was the only correspondent O. an
American newspaper actually on the
scene al the time of the police repri-
SAILS which have reduced the town of
Tralee, in County Kerry. to state OF
terror, semi starvation and despair
Tonight Tralee's shops are closed
under penalty OF destruction by the
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