The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-10
MRS. M'SWINEY SAYS
ERIN MUST Be FREE.
No Peace for England or World
Until Then, She Tells
Committee of 100.
SISTER-IN-LAW PLEADS
Coming Winter Will Be Ire
lands Valley Forge'-Asks
Aid for Children.

WASHINGTON. Dec. s.--The widow OF
the late Lord Mayor of Cork, Mrs. Mac
Swiney, presented to-day to the commits
sion of the committee OF one hundred
Investigating the Irish question her
story of the hunger strike in Brixton
Prison, London. of her husband and of
his death, and the details as she had
witnessed them of attempts by the Irish
republicans TO gain freedom for their
country.
Mrs. MacSwiney concluded her story
with the declaration England shall have
no peace, that the world will have no
peace. until our republic is recognized"
Miss Mary MacSwiney sister of the
late Lord Mayor. recalled to add details
to the story she told the commission
yesterday. added to the declaration of
her slster-in-law the assertin that the
coming winter would be 'Ireland's VAL
ley Forge" and appealed for American
aid. not. she said. for the men and
women of Ireland. but for the children.
THE coming winter in Ireland" said
Miss MacSwiney, will be hard. The
British have destroyed our crops, our
supplies of food The men can get on,
the women can stand the suffering. but
1t Is for the children plead. We must
have help this winter"
Mrs MacSwiney declared there was
no choice for the Irish republicans but
to stand together, whatever the cost, and
continue the fight for independence. She
said It was such a spirit that had actu-
ated her husband to refuse food until
death.
IT knew my husband was happy. as
his physical strength was worn away by
hunger, for his countenance absolutely
radiated peace and contentment," Mrs.
MacSwiney asserted. II was besought
to plead with him to take food, but
would not. for I never, never would in
terfere with my husband in a matter OF
conscience. 1t was his choice. 1t was
the decision OF his spirit"
Mrs. MacSwiney said material relief
for her countrymen was necessary, for
many were starving But what we
want more" she added, us our freedom.
We want England out I think the peo-
pie of Ireland would choose freedom and
our republic rather than food II they
were forced to choose between them"
The women of Ireland, she said. are
organized as well as the men and their
attitude is one of solidarity. The
selves to meet all torment" she declared.
1.-THE women Of Ireland seldom weep
now
Mrs MacSwiney recounted the details
of the arrest Of her husband on August
~, 1890 Her husband. she said. was
charged with having had n code used by
tho police, and she asserted that this
was proper because of his position as
Lord Mayor She was present at the
trial and said the Lord Mayor told her
then of his intention to continue on hun
ger strike. She became convinced then,
she declared, that he would die of starva-
ton unless the British Government
granted his release.
Her husband exacted a promise from
her, Mrs. MacSwiney said, that she would
not insist that he take food. The prison
officials, however, said they would not
employ forced feeding until the prisoner
became unconscious, when they would
give him food Mrs MacSwiney declared.
Accordingly, five days before the Lord
Mayor died the prison authorities began
feeding him. she asserted. and continued
to do so until his death.
Miss MacSwiney gave an account Of
what she characterized as conspiracy be-
tween officials Of Brixton Prison and the
British Home Office ito defeat plans OF
the family to take the Lord Mayors body
back to Cork" because. she said, the
British feared an uprising and they did
not want any more trouble than they
already had"
1--WE Irish are no domestic problem OF
England" she said. I'VE are an inter-
national problem. Our ideals. the ideals
of all Irish republicans are the same,
and my plea to the American people is
that you at least give fair play and jus
tice to US, for the British stories OF the
separatist movement do not carry all
the facts. We are not divided and we
intend that the whole world shall know
the truth both Of our cause and the mis-
representations of the British"