The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-10-25

October, 1ai7. secured his release
from jail By hunger striking.
Great Britnin Stirred.
The story of the sclf-Atarvation Of
MacSwincy, probably viii become one
of the mort moving chapters OF the
ccnturies-iong history OF the Irish
struggle. No other controversy has
stirred Great Britain 50 deeply ms this
since the one that centercd upon
Cecil Rhodes. when the Jameson raid
was haikcd by Paul Kruger and the
raiders imprisoned.
Tho campaign In England FOR Mac
Swincy's relenac from prison has been
apart from all political and PARTY con
aidcrutions and even tho King was
drawn into Il. The movement In Mac
Swineys behalf was mainly humans
tartan and enlisted tcnder-hearted
people of an mctions but was urged
by others with arguments OF party
strategy.
"MacSwiney dead ana ~canonized IN
the hearts Of the Irish people With
Wolf Tone and the Manchester mar
tyrs would be a more valuable asset
10 the Sim Fem than MacSwiney
alive and. even though "a free pass
to freedom for MacSwiney might
weaken h governments hand. why
hclp the scparatist cause by giving u
"a martyr? o." were the arguments put
forward even by British %unionists.
stand by the law and do not create
n precedent which would make the
will of a convicted rebel the decisive
factor In determining whether he
shall be punished" was the argument
of Tho stand fast faction. a majority
Of the Brltiah papers including the
London Times and the liberal press.
the labor unlonists, aud many mem
hers of both parties In parlia mont
Joined IN the agitation for Mae
MacSwineys release.
Notable Controversies.
Two notable controversies, n con-
stitutional and the otncr theological.
have arisen from the case. The flrpi
was whether Kinr George codtd
properly exercise his hardening pre-
negative independently Of or aEainst
tho advice OF his ministers. The Sec
n was whether the Catholic clergy. '
representing a church which holds
suicide to be a crime, could consist
entity administer the sacraments TO B
hunger strikers. The kings reply
through the secretary OF state for var,
To the petition OF members OF parli-
nment WIS generally interpreted to
mean that the kings personal leaning
was toward granting n pardon. But,
since Premier Lloyd George and the
foreign minister, a. Bonar Law. were
at the same time Issuing arguments
again.t clemoncy for the lord mayor
NH vs." w ~ ANANNN III ANANNNN ~ AINNH
direction by the king would be
nEainHt the advice Of his oinistors.
The n~ewspaperh published many cd
~itorialA nj letters setting forth. on
one hand, hat kinv George should
not be embarrassed by direct appeals
20 him and. on the other hand, that
he should and had the right 10 cNer-
elise his nominal constitutional power
OF ~pardoning.
Fast Begun August ~.
MacSwiner's hunger strike wRs bc-
u on Apsisst ~ when, with ten OF
his ansOciates, ne was arrested by sol
diers In Cork while attending a seselon
OF a Sim Fein court. After trial by
n courtmn rtiai usaer the regulations
Of the Defence OF the Realm Act. he
was found guilty OF scdition and sem
fenced to two years imprisonment.
which he was serving In BriNton
prison in London.
MacSwiney. then an alderman OF
Cork. was elected lord mayor Of the
city az a special session Of the Cork
corporation on March 80 OF this year.
lie wnn a well-nown Sim Fcin leader
and. prior TO his election. had been
dcported and imprisoned several
times. one OF the latest notable in
stances OF his confinement having
been In 1915 In connection with the
Irish Easter revolt
when arrested on August ~. Mac
Swiney managed to escape TO the
street from the back Of the city hall.
which soldiers had surrounded, but
was captured outside. He was taken
90 the military barracks and came up
for trial on August 10. The court
martial found him guilty of having
control Of the secret police cipher. of
having In his possession n document
likely 10 cause diaaffoction. namely. !
a copy Of n resolution Of the Cork
corporation picdging allegiance to tho
pnii Eireann, the Irish republican
parlia ment, and OF having made n
soditious speech on the oc, sion of his
election.
Already weak NJ the trial because
81 hln refusal To take food, Mac
Hwincy disputed the jurisdiction Of
the court. saying; II am the lord
n OF this city and It's chief mag
istrate. I declare this court Illegal
md those taking part in It liable to
arrest under the laws of the Irish re-
Dcported TO England.
The day following his trial, Lord
Mayor MacSwiucv was dcDortod 70
England aboard q destroyer, under a
heavy military escort and was lodged
IN Brixton jail. The government M
nouuccd on August 49, that he was
Hontcnacd 10 two years imprisonment. /
Macswiney's hunger strike brought
numerous SOLICITATIONS and protests 10
The British authorities. many Of the
appeals being from sy~mpathizcrs IN
tho United States. and even n threat
from The Sim Fein IN Ireland. that.
II the event cf his death, q general
strike and serious disturbances would
prevail throughout the island. An ap-
peal was taken directly TO the king
but this also proved unavatilnE.
rnflnH his imprison mont. the lord
mayor received numerous mefaages Of
anoouHnHFma1n and also petitions 70
ebaAdon bis strike. Ne replied TO the