The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-12-09
Ireland Would Take Freedom
Rather Than Food, II Forced
to Choose.
WOMEN ORGANIZED, TOO
Mrs. MacSwiney Tells ORA.
matte Story-Hearers
Weep and Faint.

washington, Dec. 9.--Proponents
W ireland OF an Irish republic are
resolved "that England shall have
no peace that the world Will have
recognized" Mrs. MurIeI Mac
swIney, widow OF the late ,ord
mayor o. Cork declared today be.
Iore the commission ot the com.
mttee Of one hundred Investigating
eonoltlons Is ireland.
mrs' Maeswlney said material re.
yer FOR her counthymen was neoes.
sary Tor many were STARVING
Sut what we want more" she
sa'o us our freedom. W. want
ENGLAND out, think the peopIe
OF ireland would choose freedom
ana our republic rather than food
tney were forced to choose be.
Mrs MacSwlney thus summed up no,
statement before the commission afte,
she mad given a dramatic recitnI ~
conditions in her homeland and of m,
ne history of her husband who died
IN brlxton prison, London, as the re.
sui or hunger strike.
The women OF Ireland she said ,r,
organized as well as the men and thei,
a'.irude ,rt is one Of solidarity.
TIE, women OF Ireland have stAelet
themselves 70 meet all torments," she
9eoared The women OF Ireland sci.
'OiH weep now,
In deep mourning.
Mrs. MacSwiney was dressed IN beep
mourning which accentuated her paior
Iht hearine room wat packed 10 the
polnt OF sufrOcation and many person :
We're nnahle TO secure entrance Mra
Tmacsw'neY tegan her narrative by tell
ing the committee OF her childhood in
h NlwaNs." she said she had
tneen impressed "even ms child nv
nONnTtU NtGN
Iand" 't III ire
Il always had republican idea,s A."
sne told the committee. "I was sem ,o
mng,snd to school, and get tho irish
"%2u,d % come out even over there"
>, Wnen Mrs MacSwiney recounted IN.
,nat tr,ai ana death Of her husband
many Of the audience were crying and
one woman tainted and had TO be re.
moved from the room.
IeHs Of Her MARRIAGE.
Mrs' MacSwney told OF her mar
,aEe 10 me late lord mayor in Eng
ana IN l9l7 lust after her husband
.au peen released from one OF the
hany hy prison terms, She related how
s'elr only bahy was born while IT'S
ather was In jail in Belfast and now
me aaily carried :he child to visit her
athFr In prison
Mrs. MaeSwiney recounteo tho ar.
est OF August II. 1920. ana the be-
'inning OF the last hunger strike, Her
'usnahu she said was charged with
'aVihG mad code used by the poiicc.
md she asserted that this was proner
because OF his position as lord mnvo,.
,he was present AT the trial and said
ne lord mayor told her then OF his in.
ention TO continue on hunger strike
me became convinced then, she de.
iareu, that her husband would die OF
tarvation unless the British Govern.
nent granted his release,
After my husband made 4AIls spkAeh|
tne trial, she continued. "a guess
became resigned: accustomed 10
hat the future was tc bring. rhe
mock came first. II came harder on
1e then. After that was recSnciled
nd was proud of his courage"
AS hunger wore down the iord nay
RS strength, Mrs. MacSwiney said,
e absolutely radiated peace and con-
'ntment' u knew my husband was
Hppy' she declared. and never.
and In matter of conscience. II was
is spirit"
Promise Not 70 Object.
Her husband exacted promise |
ON her, Mrs. MacSwiney said thn, |
ie would not insist that he take FOOD |
he prison officials. however, saio they |
ohu hot employ tOrced fecding Untt |
le prisoner became unconscious wneu !
icy would give him food, Mrs sacr
Winey declared Accordingly. Ave
avs before the lord mayor died, the
'ison authorities began feeding MIN,
le asserted. ana continued to do 50
1tii his DEATH
MRS. MacSwiney gave vivid recl-
] OF her experiences with the British
hcials and charged that the British
'me ofiice had spread propaganda to
70 effect that relatives Of the lord
ayor were secretly proviuing min
IN food
That" she exclaimed "is IN. sort
lies they use about everything IN
injection with Ireland"