Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-18
BARCLAY SP|CER TELLS
OF IRISH CONDITIONS
Arden Man Has Returned From
Trip in interest of American
Relief.

X. Barclay Spicer of Arden has re-
turned from ireland, where he went
in the interest of the American Com
nittee for Irish Relief. when he left
Ireland on the Fourth of July, the
city of Dublin was gaily decorated
with American flags. a big demon
stration in honor of the day was
PLANNED. and De Valera issued \ proc
laination pointing out the meaning
of the day on this side of the At
lantic.
Mr.. spicer In telling of his obser-
vations recalled an interesting in
cident. showing how many escapes
were sensational in character. In a
general raid, the military arrested
one of the most prominent Stnh
Feiners. lie was taken to the tastle.
and rigidly searched. but was let so.
the authorities not knowing the prize
they had in their hands. A half
hour after his release they wee
securing the city for him.
The working force for relief is now
in shape. with many working from
The Irish end. As result only s
very small unit will be needed e
carry on the work.
Mr.. Spicer reports over $1,000, ,000
expended thus far in Irish relief
His first trip over was In the earlt
part Of January. returning in April
He again left May /, and has passed
through what he describes as tho
very hottest period Of lighting
May and June were months of the
hittereat conflict. according to Nj.
spicer. lie was in Dublin the create.
bart of the time. and whenever q
military lorry drew into view all thu
pedestrians ducked into stores and
dwellings,. for at any time bomb
might he thrown from the crowd into
he lorry. Since the thrower would
bo unrecognizabIe in the crowd, the
occupants OF the lorry would NJ once
empty their machine guns into thH
pedestrians, rakins the street from
end to end In this way many un@
fortunate civilians and innocent
parties Were Killed
That the bitter struggle Is about
over is the opinion of MIR. Spicer from
| a careful first hand survey of the
facts. Entire freedom will not come
| 10 Ireland. in his opinion, but thers
win without question come dominion
| status" that is, home rule with the
same privileges and freedom rs Aus
tralia. for instance. The Republicans
may hold out for republic, but then
| Lloyd George will offer dominion
status" and the compromise will be
made.
| General Smuts has been the central
| figure in bringing about the cessation
/ of sanguinary battles. though the f1rsi
| overtures came as a result of the feel
ivg of the military authorities thai
| the smashing of the insurrection
though quite feasible as far as mill
tary power was concerned, could no
be carried out without SO much blood
shed that the world would have beer
aghast At all times the Republican,
have been we'll equipped with armi
and munitions of war. Dominion
status will in effect be autonomy. IL,
is certain from his experience ina
nothing short of dominion status vii
satisfy the Republicans.
Ulster will come around finally, IL
the opinion of Spicer. because tn
business men of the north as well a
labor will swing the situation. Busi
ness in Ulster has been at a stand
still because OF the boycott of tn
north of Ireland goods. and goodwill
must obtain between the sections Il
order that Ulster shall be prosperous
Detailed statement of the relief af
forded and the manner of distribu
ton are in the possession of Nj
Spicer. from which data he will MAX
his report to the American Commit
tee. Some additional cTeameries an
CO. operative undertakings of tn
Irish have been destroyed. but ii
last few months have been markt
by battles rather than destructio
Counties Donegal, Tyrone and othel
in the north of Ireland were yisitt
by Mr.. Spicer, his work in the prev
Gus trips having been through Il
southern counties.
ell Women play a large part IN ii
: attacks on lorries, the men passir
their arms TO them following an a
tack, and the women concealing theT
The English troops never searcht
women