The New York herald., 1921-01-21
BRITISH DYNAMITE
HOUSES IN CORK
Blow Up Two Dwellings in
Reprisal for Attacks on
Crown Forces.
MARTIAL LAW A SUCCESS
Major-Gen. Strickland Boasts
Republican Army Is
Breaking Up.

Cork, Ireland, Jan. 20.-The first Off
cial destruction for attacks on Crown
forces in Cork City since martial law
was enforced in this area was carried
out to-day, when two houses in wash
ngton street, where two members OF the
Royal Irish Constabulary were attacked
on Saturday last. were destroyed py
military forces. The military authorities
assert Crown forces were fired on Sat
urday from six houses in Washington
street and that 'the two worst" were
selected for destruction. The work OF
blowing up the designated houses was
gone about carefully, in order TO prevent
damage to adjoining property.
The houses selected for reprisal are
said to have been occupied by well
known Sim Fein sympathizers, who
were given a warning to clear out. They
We're permitted to remove their furniture
and then military engineers prepared
for the demolition OF the buildings.
Meanwhile officers with drawn revolvers
ordered the large crowd that had gath
cred to disperse. saying that otherwise 1t
would be fired on.
At / :40 o'clock this afternoon ten
loud explosions followed at intervals or
several minutes. causing CONSERVATION
throughout the city. The raid continued
until o'clock in the evening. when
the troops were withdrawn. 1t was then
found that two three story houses hal
been completely demolished. only the
walls remaining standing, and that
provision shop adjacent had almost been
wrecked by the force of the explosions.
Scores of windows in other buildings
were shattered
In the first formal interview given
to the press since he came to Ireland.
Major-Gen. Strickland, in command of
the troops here, told the Associated
Press to-day that martial law was prov
ing a success. He discussed the re-
prisals and his letter to the acting Lord
Mayor explaining that he expected aid
from the citizens in the shape OF a
vigilance committee of some kind to
supply information to the military. He
did not allude to his report on the burn
ing of Cork.
Among the statements made by Gen.
Strickland was one that women carried
weapons concealed in their skirts to the
ambushing forces. He declared he did
not expect immediate results from mar
tial law, but even before 1t was imposed
the murder gang was finding il inpos-
sible to live at home and had begun to
form flying columns In the Macroom dis
trict and parts of Tipperary and Kill
kenny.
1.-THE first result of martial law was
to make these columns more active, he
said. ''rhe definite thing we are ac-
complishing is the breaking of the or
ganization of the republican army. 1t
might be taken as too optimistic to say
that the present operations OF the re-
publican army are it's dying kick, but
/ believe that to be fact How long
they can keep going is a matter of con-
lecture. But it is only a question of
time"
Gen. Strickland spoke bitterly Of the
part he alleged women were taking as
arms bearers THE military are not
making war on women or interfering
with them in any way" he said. so the
difficulty of getting the arms In the pos
session of the women may be imagined.
Gen. Strickland condemned indiscrimi-
nate reprisals, but held that official
reprisals not only were Justified but
necessary. But" he added. IL don't
like to hear them called reprisals. ] call
them punishment