The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-04
sim Fein Defends Acts.

Slim Eein Defends Acts.
The Irish Bulletin replying to-day 10
charges that the police were provoked
into acts of reprsal does not mention
the murder of policemen. because no
Sim Fein adherent ever has been in
duced TO admit publicly responsibility
for these killings. although they defend
them privately. The Bulletin cites fifty
five instances since May 8 in which the
police or soldiers captured by Sim rein
were disarmed and released, and says:
1T will be seen that In four months
269 armed British troops and policemen
fell into the hands of the republican
army. which the British Premier and
press represent as "A huge murder So
ciety.' None of these British agents.
despite the utmost provocation given by
them during many years. was injured.
Instead, they were treated with the cour-
leased as speedily as possible. The vast
majority We're not held prisoner more
than a few hours"
While the cost of this war In Ireland
is borne by the British taxpayer. the
cost OF it to the Sim Fein Is becoming
serious factor in the situation. De-
spite the fact that more than $40. 900. 00O
was. 1t was reported, raised by canon
de Valera in the United States and $780,
in Ireland, these funds are. at least to
some extent. tied up by the British
Government, and every local authority
in Ireland which recognizes the Dali
Eireann, the Sim Fein Parliament, In
stead OF the Communicating practically
all OF them except the authorities in the
northeast and in Ulster--now are having
gravest difficulty meeting the expenses
of local government, much less the ex-
- fttL =
them have announced that they must cut
the civil service pay, while still others
fear they will have to close the poor
relief hospitals and even the insane
asylums. On top of all this will have
to come payments for damages resulting
from the disorders. While under the
law the British Government repays
these, 1t in turn makes assessments to
cover the cost on the local areas eff
fected.
For example. as result of the re-
prisals in Midtown -Malbay, individual
claims for damages have been filed for
100000, s150,OOo, $4,000 and $4,000,
respectively. At Lahinch the total is
$4,000 and at Ennistmon it is $50, 900.
These raids were small 1t is most diff
cult to get reliable figures on the totals
from any source, another symptom of the
war.
FrfghtIui Expense Hidden.
Both the Government and the Sim
Fein are unwilling to reveal the fright
full economic costs. except in n fashion
which favors their own contention. At
all events. there is no doubt things are
done on both sides which will not bear
| the light OF day.
To understand the present situation
one must remember that 1t has its root
| in the general election Of 1913, when sew
enty-three out OF los Parliamentary con-
stituencies in Ireland elected Republi-
| cans who were pledged to remain away
| from Westminster. These met and con-
stituted the Republican Cabinet and
| Government, with De Valera at its head
Ministries were appointed and proceeded
1 to function. Throughout 1918 and 1918
| they we're busy. largely in organizing
and preparing for the future. but with
| the beginning OF 1920 they began &c
| stand on their own legs. They openly
defed British authority and quoted Car
| dinal Mercier In defence of their conten
| ton that they were not morally bound
| to respect the authority of an illega
alien occupation--illegal because under
the Versailles principles Ireland hat
clearly demonstrated how she wished Il
stand on the question OF self-determina
ton.
For a long time the British Govern
ment looked on only mildly Interested
Premier Lloyd George taking up hi
home rule bill chiefly as a means o
welding a political majority in the Hous'
o. Commons, a task in which he wa
, notably successful.
The bill did not weld Ireland. how