Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-04-02

Washington, April 1.-THE state
ment issued yesterday by the Brit
ish embassy relative to the report
of the committee investigating the
Irish question, says:
"Ireland, 50 far from being a
devastated country is the most
prosperous part Of the United
Kingdom, and probably of western
Europe. A reliable index to the
general prosperity of the country
can be found in the returns Of de
posts in joint stock banks which
have increased as follows: 1914,
$4,000 600 pounds sterling; 1914
1G6, 100000 pounds sterling; 1920,
200,00O,00O pounds stering,
This prosperity continues and is
only affected in a very minor de-
gree-and that mainly in the north
by the general industrial de-
preston
Says ireland Started II.
"The report of the committee
lays stress on so-called reprisals
and ignores the fact that before
even the Irish propagandists sug-
gested in September 1920, that re-
prisals were taking place. ninety
two policemen, twelve soldiers and
twcnty-thee civilians had been
murdered in cold blood and 1879
policemen, fifty-siX soldiers and
seVenty-fOur civilians wounded, in
most cases without a chance Of de
Tending themselves; 1900 buildings
had been burned and wholly or
partly destroyed.
"The Sim Fein has established
its position by the terror of the
revolver, which has silenced the
moderate opinion of the vast ma
jOrity of Irishmen It desires to
claim for the Irish republican army
the status Of belligerents. ignoring
/ constantly, indeed invariably, vio-
lates the laws of war. Their
methods are those of the assassin.
Guerrilla Warfare.
increasing pressure hv the
crown forces has succeeded in fore
ing them more and more to aban-
don the methods of individual as
sassination in favor of organized
attack by armed bands, but the
| furtive character of their activities
still continues.
THAT the crown forces, under
almost incredible provacation, pa
tiently borne during many months,
! have on some occasions broken the
| bonds of discipline and committed
unjuStifiable acts of violence is not
denied, but to say such acts have
been ordered, encouraged or con-
doned by the British government is
false.
"The actual facts with regard to
specific points raised in the report
of the committee follows:
1.-THE total ration strength of the
crown forces is $1,000. The ante
J cedents of all recruits are care
| fully investigated and no man of
| known bad character is retained.
No Indiscriminatc Killing.
There has been no indiscrimi-
| nate killing; men have been shot
through failing to halt when chal-
| lenged by sentries and innocent
! persons, including women and chill
Gren, have suffered death or
wounds in armed conflict resulting
| from unprovoked attacks made by
| the Sim Feiners upon forces of the
crown in crowded streets Apart
from these and similar inadvertent
casualties. the record of the crown
forces is absolutely clean so far as
women and children are concerned,
Reports of torturing of prison
ers have been completely disproved
wherever attempt was made to
bring forward tangible evidence.
There are the strongest grounds
for attributing to extreme Sim
Feiners the murder of prominent
republicans such as Lord Mayor
MacCurtain of Cork and the mayor
and aldermen of Limerick,
"The practice adopted of carry
ing hostages has fulfilled its sole
purpose, namely to minimize muir