Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-20
BRITISH SEND TROOPS
TO CHECK SIM FE|NERS
London Determined to Re-estab-
lish Reign of Law; Machine
Guns Ready for Use.
nv Associated Press TO Every Evening

Dublin, May 20~-Contingents OF
British cavalry and infantry are arriving
in Ireland but the total number of troops
now in the Island is still considerably be-
low that of year ago. Many men then
on duty had enlisted for the duration of
the war and have since been demohllzed.
Troops hitherto have been used merely
as additional police officers and have not
been numerous enough To cope with dis
turbances. In fights which have occurred
at police barracks tho attackers have gem
orally been ten times more numerous than
the defendeTs and as they have also been
well arrnesl, the contest has been unequal
Soldiers. therefore have been called IN 10
establish a balance. In many places they
are doing ordinary police patrol, which Is
form OF duty in which police are exposed
to great risks Many recent murders Of
policemen have occurred on patrols where
the routes caused many TO be shot from
ambush. II will be difficult for raiders TO
carry on this sort of warfare as armored
cars will he used now.
Operations are being directed 70 the
maintenance Of ordinary law When cattle
are driven from farms, troops are not
concerning themselves with the nature OF
the dispute between farmers and raiders
but are trying 10 punish the cattle drivers
and. with the aid Of the cavalry, roundup
and restore the cattle to their owners
The wholesale burning of police bar
racks in the recent past appeared to be
mere wanton4 4ess on the part of raiders
hence many Of the buildings have been
abandoned by the police, but now It APP
pears. these acts were attributable 10
the foresight Of Sim Fem leaders. 1t was
anticipated that an extension of military
activity was contemplated by the govern
nent and that these barracks would be
used bv detachInents of soldiers Difficulty
is apprehended in finding lodgings Tor
soldiers IN remote districts Some private
houses have been taken over for this
purpose, but there arc many places where
such structures are not available and there
Is talk of the construction of huts which
might be described as blockhouses.
There have been thus far no attacks on
soldiers. but an insuthciently protected
military hut will be undoubtedly IN
vifine 10 raiders. it is therefore anticipated
/ the huts Will be fortified and protected by
/. barbed wire, Of which large quantities
+ have arrived here Ii IS expected too that
at least one machine gun Will be Installed
/ Various depots throughout Ireland have
+ in the last few weeks been training machine
gunners, many being schooied IN tins
city. the rattling sounds Of machine guns
+ being audible every morning III sthe
neighboyhood Of NermIl barracks.
General Sir NevIl MaeCready IL the
most important member of the Irish
/ administration because It Is felt the fnrcii
+ bic assertion Of law is more urgent than
/ any other policy. The eommander-iu-chie
/ saws he has nothing 10 do with policy and
j is interested only III military affairs lie
was sent TO Dublin by the cabinet to
report on the situation and now having
/ been gwen all the power he believes neces-
sary, he il concentrating the military forces
I and bringing them into coordination with
i the police