The Washington times., 1921-01-22

to this country to testify before the
commission.
Canon Magner was shot by a
Black and Tan from lorry. II
was testified that the man was In
sane from drink. This is Swite pos
sibIe. as the ariakisg a~o.s~Skese
people L. so.ctAisg TERRIBLE"
Miss Bennett is a successful leader
OF trade unionism among women In
Dublin. Through the activities of
the newly formed unions, according
to her testimony. the wages In the
printing and other trades have been
Increased from S1.25 and $3.50 q
week In 1915 to 81 to $3.50 a week
at present.
The British Labor Party had made
several Investigations In Ireland. de-
clared Miss Bennett, but up to their
last visit they never could seem
to understand why the Irish people
wished to break away from "the
glorious British empire" On their
last visit. however. they seemed to
see the necessity for Ireland getting
real DIFFERENTIATION.
READS STATEMENT.
a statement on the religious ques-
tion in Ireland prepared for the
commission by Miss Nellie OBrien
an Episcopalian. an official of the
Gaelic League.
"British statesAen have tried 10
foster In Ireland the worse aspects
Of religious biEstry. particularly In
the NORTH" said the report. "Their
object IL 10 keep us divided"
The report gave numerous in
stances illustrating the lack Of re-
| ligious discrimination throughout
Ireland. Catholics and Protestants
worked together with equal ardor In
various activities OF the republican
movement.
| Letters were also read from several
Protestant business men of Belfast,
stating that the British government
| desired partition, not really to save
the religion of Ulster against imag-
| mary attacks from the south, but be-
cause England was jealous of listers
lucrative trade with the rest of Ire
land and wished to break 1t up.
They stated religious prejudice In
Ulster was an artificial growth, fcs-
tered by Britain and some Ulster re
dictionaries, for political purposes only.
Numerous other letters from promi-
nent Protestants denying that there
was any religious question" in Ire
land also were presented by the wit
ness.
Te poverty of Ireland and the
hunger of the peasantry is some.
| America. 1t often leads to spouta.
neous outbreaks of a terrible character
1t II due to the fact that the cen
gested district boards, all British trt
bunals, have failed to sell the land
to persons desiriaE small holdings
Instead, they have II intact In Ereai
GraxinG estates"
SINN FEM PREVENTS RISING.
A widespread uprising to seize 'and
which would have been accompanied
by possible deaths of landlords and
wholesale appropriation of extensive
grazing estates, narrowly was averted
last summer, Miss Bennett declared.
The only factor which prevented
such an uprising, she added. was The
| Sim Fein land courts. These tri'
| bunals heard many cases of conflict
| ing claims and their decisions in al
| cases universally were respected. The
| witness continued:
| The insurrection last summer
started with cattle driving and break
| ing down Of estate walls and fences
with forcible seizure of land for till
! age purposes. 1t was worst in County
| Mayo, and was characterized by tn,
Killing of at least one landlord and
| threats of death against many.
"If the British succeed In destroy.
| ing the Sim Feln courts, the only
tribunals whose decisisns the people
respect, there will he NO protection
against . similar outbreak next sprias
| or summer,
Miss Bennett told Of systematic at.
tempts by the British to destroy Irish
industry by burning creameries and
| looting cooperative establishments 8
| The result Of this stupid policy" she
declared. was to increase the price OF
butter to about S1.25 a pound in Eng