Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1921-04-06
COMMITTEE OF 100 CONDEMNS
BRITISH RIFLE IN IRELAND

BRITISH RULE IN IRELAND
A severe indictment of the British
policy and military rule in Ireland is
the outstanding feature of the report
of the commission of the Committee
of One Hundred which has been in
vestigating the Irish question. 1t
charges the British Army with acts
mot Incompatible in degree and kind
with those alleged to have been COM
mitted in Belgium by the German
Army"
The commission, composed of Sena-
tor David l. Walsh, Jane Adams,
Frederick C. Howe, former Commits
sioner of Immigration; James H.
Maurer, President of the American
Federation of Labor of Pennsylvania;
Major Oliver P Newman, former Com
missioner of the District of Columbia;
Senator George w. Norris, the Rev.
Norman Thomas of New York, and l..
Hollingsworth Wood of New York,
finds that Ireland has neither the pro-
lection of British nor Of international
law and is at the mercy OF British
troops who have established a reign
of terror in the country. The report
presents the following summary:
"The British Government has intro
duced into Ireland force of at least
$4,000 men, many youthful and mex
perienced, and some convicts, and has
melted that force to unbridled vio-
lence.
"The British forces in ireland have
Unfortunately killed innocent men,
women and children, tortured and
shot prisoners, and attributed to Sim
Fein extremists British assassina-
ton of Irish Republicans.
"House burning and destruction of
villages and cities by British forces
under British officers have been coun-
tenanced and ordered by officials of
the British Government as part of a
plan Of terrorism.
"A campaign for the destruction of
the means of existence of the Irish
people has been conducted by the
burning of factories, creameries, crops
and farm implements and the shooting
of farm animals.
Acting under series of proclama-
lions by the military authorities,
hostages are carried by troops ex-
posed to the fire of the Republican
army, fines are levied upon towns
and villages for alleged offenses OF
individuals, private property is de-
stroyed for acts with which the own
ers have no connection, contrary to
the laws of peace or war among civil
lied nations.
"This terror has failed to re-etab-
lish British civil government in Ire
land Throughout the greater part of
the country British courts have
ceased to function, local Governments
refuse to recognize British authority
and British civil officials fulfill no
function of service to the Irish peo-
pie.
1.-THE majority of the Irish people
have sanctioned by ballot the Irish
Republic, give their allegiance to it,
pay taxes to it and respect the deci-
sions of it's courts and civil officials"
The commission condemns the kill
ings by the Sim Fein forces of "spies,
traitors and enemies" of the Irish
Republic who have been found guilty
by it's courts because, the report says,
it is admitted that the accused never
appear before these Sim Fein tribun-
ais The report then goes on to tell
of alleged atrocities by the British
troops and denounces the use of the ;
Auxiliary Cadets and the Black and
Tans, who compete for the dishonor :
Of Anglo-Saxon civilization with our I