The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-09-15
STORY OF erin
BY EYE WITNESS
Even in Hour of Sorrow
Irish Find Time
to Smile

~ 0AA1kAS
(By Dorothy Thompson, Interna.
tional News Correspondent
LONDON.--What constitutes be.
ing suppressed in Ireland?
must admit that left the coun.
try without finding out.
The Industrial commission for the
investigation Of Irish industries and
resources, appointed by the minister
Of trade and commerce Of the Irish
republic, was suppressed. Everyone
told me so. Everyone told me, also,
that If l would 60 to a certain Office
in a well-known office building on a
main street in Dublin. ! would find
someone who would tell me more
about the commission.
OF course ! went. I found q spa
cious office. The walls were hung
with maps Of Ireland; charts show
ing coal deposits, graphs describing
the course Of the milk industry; pic
lures of harbors and fisheries. At q
large desk overlooking with letters
and reports sat an urbane gentleman
deep in conversation with two call
ers, evidently bent on serious bust
ness.
They left in a few minutes, and he
greeted me courteously.
II want to find out something
about the work Of the former in
dustrial commission" said.
'This is the office Of the Industrial
Commission Of the Irish republic, II
that is what you want" he replied,
his eyes twinkling.
"But I thought the commission
was suppressed" exclaimed.
He reared with laughter at my
naivete. "Of course it is-of course!"
he said.
"But you are carrying on
"Of course we are-of counsel"
he said.
Commission is Suppressed
Then he gave me his definition Of
being suppressed" 1--WE aren't in
the directory, and we don't have
telephone.
THAT must be very inconvenient,"
| commiserated.
''Not at ALL" was the cheerful re-
ply. 1--WE use our neighbours tele-
phone, and everyone knows where
we are"
And then for an hour he described
20 me the work of the commission.
When the Republic was set up" he
explained, 1--WE all recalled that we
mad to do more than merely defend
We had to do construc-
i've work. Sim Fein had elected a
government, and this government
'traightway appointed a ministry.
The Minister Of Trade, who is very
clever young economists Protest
Int, by the way-called together
men, manufacturers, farm
IFS, professors-the most able men
le could finland appointed them
IN Industrial Commission. He did
lot even ask them whether they were !!
He didn't subject them
o any rules. He told them to find |
tut what was the matter with Irish
industry; study the dairy business,
he fisheries, the unused resources,
md report to the Republic, with
recommendations.
Nov, of course, since, from the
English point Of view, the Republic
illegal, we are illegal, and when
We went down into the west of Ire
and to hold open sittings on the
question of the milk supply we were
efused public buildings; soldiers at
ended our hearings, and finally we
we're declared an illegal assembly. So
re took our name out of the tele-
hone book"
v ''Seditous" Document
Let me present you with sedi-
ious document" he said. ut Is our
AoS AOPoAS tAC COuulLlOA VI tAO |
airy industry in Ireland"
1t was an inoffensive looking docu-
lent, bound tolerantly enough in an
range cover and devoted to a tech
ical discussion of cow-tests, butter
the organization of cream
ries, etc. only the introduction
randed it. It was addressed to
rthur Griffith, Acting President Of
re Irish Republic, and began. "In
ccordance with your instructions.
And then this Irishman plunged
ito an enthusiastic discussion Of Irish
ssources. "They have said there is
o coal in Ireland. There are at
'ast hundred million tons in one
rea alone. Ireland has six billion
ms of peat, with a coal equivalent
three billion tons. Ireland has q
niger coast than England, and OPP
ortunities for developing the finest
4