The Washington times., 1921-01-21
BRITISH ST|FLE
IRISH BUSINESS
Witness at Hearing Describes
Methods Used to Destroy
Commercial Relations.

Determined to crush Irish indus
try, even at its own expense, Eng
land has deliberately pursued a pol
icy of terrorism which has made
Irishpen afraid to invest in their
own economic plans, Miss Louie
Bennett. of Dublin. told the Ameri-
can Commission on Conditions in
Ireland today.
ENGLAND FEARS IRISH.
England. she declared, fears Irish
trade rivalry, and is especially afraid
of possible cooperation between
Ireland and America, The last is
especially true. she said. regarding
the meat industry. England lives
In terror. she said, lest Ireland and
American packers get together.
There is the same fear in Eng
land of American meat control. as
there is in America OF British oil
control" she said
Miss Bennett who Is secretary Of
the Irish branch of the Women's In
ternational League and general sec
retary of the Irish Women's Work
ers' Union, devoted most of her tes-
timony to a discussion of economic
conditions in Ireland-terrible. she
said. because Of systematized Brit
ish oppression and terrorism.
|. READS LONG REPORT.
She read lengthy report of COM
mission ap pointed by the Dial Eireann,
the rcpnMsicans congress, to. ,isss~sti
gate tho resources of ireland. This
commission. she explained, was non-s
partisan. comprising both Sim Fein-
ers and Ulsterites.
The secretary of this commissio ion,
she said, narrowly escaped being
hanged by British troops, she said.
Crown forces destroyed forty-seven
creameries and did so much damage
that there isn't enough money in
Ireland to pay for it," she declared.
BRITISH BLOCKS FORD.
She told how the British vigorously
tried "to block Henry Ford from
building an automobile factory in Ire
land for fear ait would destroy
British trade"
1t was brought out the factory was
eventually established, but only
manufactured tractors, and no auto
mobiles.
The report detailed the attempt of
the Irish to form the Irish Co-opera-
tive Meat Co.. Limited, and the crush
ing Of that industry by British threats
and destruction of property.
1t was planned to form a company
of farmers and small shareholders,
she said. England Immediately took
steps to stop 1T.
British military occupied all the
public buildings, so the members OF
the company were forced to meet in
private homes. These meetings were
invariably broken up by the black
and tans, and the investors were told
that II they persisted in their plans,
every house in which they met would
be either dynamited or burned.
Meanwhile several creameries,
erected by the company in connection
with the proposed industry were
burned by the British, and the inves-
tors were told that If they built
slaughter houses, these, too, would be
destroyed.
FORCED TO ABANDON IT.
The investors, unable to combat
such proceedings, were finally forced
to abandon the enterprise.
This is a typical instance of Brit
will 60 to crush Ireland" said Miss
Bennett England is now paying five
shillings (about S1.25) a pound for
butter-yet rather than let Irish in-
dustry grow, they burn Irish cream
cries"
They are destroying their best Gus
toner. They fear Irish industry will
develop, and later be great rival.
They will go any lengths to Keep
this from coming to pass"
TELLS OF OUTRAGEs.
Miss Bennett also told briefly OF
outrages perpetrated by the British
to prevent the Sim Fein from meet
ing. Every house in which they
| gathered. she said was visited later
by tho military; invariably looted,
and frequently either burned or dyna-
mited.
THE Sim Fein finally found twas
too costly to meet In a house." she
said. But they still function. They
| meet just as ever-eut they meet Sc
cretly. in open country. where there
can be no firing. and no dynamite"