The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-21

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ment that every Englishman knows: but
it is not British Government tradition
in Ireland to-day"
Appealing to clear Great Britain.
good name he declared that ireland wa;
the foulest blot in the postwar state
| of the world. the biggest factor in pre-
venting that good Will in which recon,
struction can alone be attained.
THE League of Nations viii not work
without America" he continued. Amer
lea will never take the hand of England
so long as England's hand is stained
with Irish blood."
Opening of the Debate.
The debate was opened by Arthur
Henderson. Labor member, who called
the reprisals being effected on the island
a humiliating and damning indictmen.
CT the Governments policy and be-
travail OF the democratic principles of
Great Britain and of all this country
stood for during the war. as akin only
to the policy of frightfulness the Ger
mans cractised in Belgium
They are like the doings Of the
/ Germans that all sections Of Great Brit
ain then condemned !" he declared
He said that in Is17 and 1918 the
Irish stood the policy of suppression
without retaliation that then murders,
armed assaults and raid.ngs were all
on one side. This produced change.
and the Irish hit back, with the result
that there now are military clashes
which no fair minded man can view
save with deepest detestation. He urged
that that policy be changed.
While the Labor members and the
Liberal opposition demanded an inquiry
into the reprisals. the Government
speakers defended its policy.
Sir Hamar Greenwood. Chief Secretary
for Ireland. in sharp answer on behalf
Of the Government, described incidents
and recited figures. frequently punctuat-
ing his remarks with:
But things have changed for the bet
ter, and they are going TO continue to
change IL the Government continues to
have the faith of this House." -,
The Irish Secretary drew stormy
outburst when he declared: II am going
to rake all Ireland for arms. l am
going to stop this murderous killing Of
servants of the Crown. VINO are honor
able soldiers and are doing their duty"
Sir Hamar admitted that the reprisals
included the burning OF houses and the
wrecking of villages. and he admitted
the killing of Sim Fein adherents and
when O voice shouted They were muir
ders :" he answered:
"Yes, they were murders call them
MURDERS" adding that everything pos
sible was being done to check them.
Brutal assassinations of their fell
lows made the men see red" he said.
"They went wild and burned and killed.
and do not much blame them"
Praises "Blacl< and Tans."
Sir Hamar drew an outburst when he
described the formation of the force
known as the BLACK and Tans' He sad
these men We're all one-time officers
and soldiers who had volunteered in re-
Spouse to the Governments call. "They
are the highest type OF manhood we
have" he declared. "rhey are the
saviors of the British Empire They are
our heroes of observation-disclosures to every
man in this house-and I protest against
any one calling these brave and honor
able men murderers and assassins."
He said the critics of the Government
policy recite figures given out by
highly organized Sim Fem propaganda
department 'It is operating not only
In Great Britain. but In America and In
other countries" he said. 1T Is trying
to besmirch the name of the British
Empire"
He admitted that conditions in ireland
were worse during the last two years
than at any time In the history OF Ire
land, but he asserted Improvement has
been shown and conditions will continue
to grow better.
Sir Hamar said the terrorism was con-
fined to few counties in the west of
ireland and declared his belief that
vast majority OF the Irish people were
hoping and praying for a cessation OF
this terrorism. as was England and the
rest OF the world. In nine counties he
said. no policemen had been killed.
while In thirteen counties there had
been one killed In each.
These worthy. genial Irish people"
ha continued, ARE subject to the grossest
intimidation, and It would be unworthy
of us II we failed to break this circle
Of terror And We are breaking IT, l
can see, at no distant date, an end Of
the assassinations and an end OF the
boycottirg of business and civilians.
We are fighting n band of terrorists--
not the ordinary Irishmen."
Excuses and Reprisals.
Sir Hamar explained three glaring
reprisals. and admitted them to be re-
prisals, among them being the Balbrig-
gan case. He said II was simply human
nature that brave men should 'see red
when they found comrades whom they
loved dead. their bodies mutilated by
expanding bullets. and added:
IL cannot condemn these policemen
who lost their heads as I condemn the
assassins who provoked the outrage.
The best way to stop this Is to stop the
provocation. That Is what we are do
ing. I regret the reprisals. ] tried TO
find the guilty. but / was unsuccessful.
None Of the innocent suffered. Those
who were shot and those whose homes
were burned were Sim Feln sympa-
thizers. They were aware of the plots
and connived toward their success"
He read letter from one Irish as
sassin TO a fellow assassin" which urged
the use of explosives. burnings. killings
and courage In carrying out orders. and
also limiting at n plot "in which South
Tipperary gang YVES Rnirg to England
to operate In a campaign"
Sir Hamer said the sand OF terrorists