Omaha daily bee., 1920-11-20
|Repf'lisa1s
In Ireland
Described
Conditions Rapidly "Working
Up to Massacre" Eyewitness
Tells Commission Investi-
eating Conditions.
Adjourn for Two Weeks
nv The Associated Press.

Washington, Nov. 19,-More eye.
witnesses tales of violence in Ire
land and accounts of social and
economic developments resulting
from the effort for Irish independence
were received by the commission OF
the committee of 100 investigating
the Irish question. The commission
then adoured over : Thanksgiving
to resume, its inquiry, probably the
first week in December.
Personal accounts of the killing
of citizens and police last September
at Balbriggan and the burning and
looting of homes and stores there
and at Galway and other Irish towns
were related by John Derham, town
commissioner for Balbriggan, and
Americans who toured the country
recently, including Mrs. William A.
King of Ironton, O., and Mr.. and
Mrs. Francis Hackett of New York.
representing the Society of Friends.
Tell Of Terrorism"
Terrorism" was the term applied
by all of today's witnesses to the
military rule in ireland. Mr.. Derham
said the BLACK and tans" bayoneted
two citizens of Balbriggan and
burned Is houses during raid in
reprisal for the shooting of two
officers by unknown persons. He
said he was himself beaten with
bayonet butts and otherwise NAL
treated. No compensation he said,
was offered by the British govern
ment for property destroyed by the
military.
A picture of the military rule
maintained with armed lorries and
tanks in Cork, Limerick, Dublin and
other cities was given by Mrs. King,
who said that street shootings were
nightly occurrences.
Mr.. Hackett, associate editor of
the New Republic, said that the peo-
pie generally were submitting their
civil and other controversies to the
republican courts. Barring only the
nominal authority of Dublin castle,
he said, there would be little British
dominion in Ireland ercept that of
the military forces.
Killing Of Police Necessary.
Eighty per cent of the people are
for Sim Fein," said Mr.. Hackett,
who stated that he always had
sympathized with the Sim Fein
movement.
The judicial administration of the
Sim Fein officials, the witnesses
stated, includes formal, although
secret "trial" of police, constabulary
and soldiers charged with, killing
Irish citizens.
Responsible Sim Fein leaders
told me-" said Mr.. Hackett, "that
these killings of policemen were an
absolute necessary act of justice,
most of them having committed act
ual murder"
Conditions in ireland are work
ing up to massacre" Mr.. Hackett
said. He added that many of the
'black and tans" were ex-convicts
and other desperadoes.
Policy of Oppression.
"The English are pursuing pol,
icy OF oppression and assassination" >"
he continued, "and making no effort
to bring to book those guilty, among
the military forces. of lawlessness."
The British policy regarding
restitution for property destroyed by
the military is to impose assess
ment upon citizens of the COMMITTEES
where violence has occurred, the
witness said. He added that Sir
Arthur Griffith had told him that in,
there were about 100000
troops in Ireland. and he estimated
the number of police killed within
the last few years at about 120.
Before the world war, Mr.. Hack
ett stated, Irish officials permitted
Ulster revolutionists to import arms
from Germany without hindrance,
but baked with military force, at
tempts at similar importatiops into
southern Ireland,