Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-05-10

,a,aht,. Ir,aot,ttadIy a we'll organized
refusal amongst the rank and NE oi IN"
Catholic population to pay taxes OF :"
obey laws passed by this Parliament
would seriously handicap the leRisla-
ture. There would probably be whole
sale arrests. and the jails IN the sih
counties would not afford aocomInodh"
tions for all who would au8iify Tor Ad~
,niaaion The Iosa of the taxes or their
recovery under heavy expense Wouih
financially cripple legislature which
even as now arranged. will be Sadly
short of funds.
But this ia not the worst feature Oh
tho uroapect which confrontH the new
Parliament In the North East lhe
elections will take place in a month OF
So and one ia almost appalled, a. tue
probabilities as 20 what may take place
during these trials Of strength | have
tust returned 10 Dublin after close IN
veat,eation of the conditions In the six
county area.
rho situation there is truly alarming.
know Ulster for many years, !
know its political problem Intimately.
and / know the most chronic state oi
hostility which exists between the rival
tartiea and rival religions.
Those with whom talked have never
known tho state Of feeling 10 be 80 had
iso highly iu1ammabie NJ It is today
/ lifelong friendships have been sundef
cd and social tics which have held the
i community together IN previous crises
no longer exist There is for the moment
armed truec hut u ia feared that the
! start Of the eIerffon campaign Will let
/ iooae the very worst passions and that
/ sanguinary conflict will be tho result
The city uf Belfast Is always Hubject
70 sI,aHrnodic outbreaks ~ religious
pograrn hut il was in tho city IF Ion
tlnnderry that / observed the most
strained relations Iieing smaller
community the facta were more nhvi-
eua Even now fhe opposing sections
retire 10 rest Zach night not knowing
what may be their fate before morning
Roth aidcs have their gunmen ready
to ayenge tho smallest eueroatinn ~ a
PARTY anront
Tho uttereuco ~ n cry aIoh ~ -
with tho robsla or Down With The
Pope is sufficient to- provoke instant
hlootishod
The police and military arc kept in a
constant state of nerves The police
stations oven within tho city limits ars
not immune from attack only ! fev
nights before my arrival IN the city. ons
af no poilec barraok had been attack
ed with tunihz and revolver fire
IN tho counties ~ Tyrnnno and Fer
rnoneh where tho parties are almost
equally balanced. tire situation II equal
~ strained and this is - of the rura
districts a. wall AZ ~ tho towns
In Armagh tho Hornan Catholic ole
! meut pr predorninates but there Is also
large Protestant population and here
ais. ne fitterest feeling exists To s.ds
- the troubla the regular police ali ovei
lister have been strengthened by tn.
appointment ri local men calles
special police These are All Protes.
ft.nf5 OWING - tho fact that Ronar
Catholics REFUSE 10 take aergice IN the
iolIce ranks Many of these special
are men II strong religious bias. am
consequently the Roman Cathnlic cle
ment are very appreheusl@c 81 them
several Of them have already beer
found IN the act ~ lootinK and rohbinl
and have heen punished some being
actually aent 70 prison. They are IN.
doubteiIy a very dangerous element tn
dangerous situation aud when opl.or
;Gnity offers they are perhaps not IN
naturally subject 80 attack by sin
Fieiners and Roman Catholics.
L Will ba seen therefore. that Thal
the exciting time Of the elections ar
ttt"rs there viii be present I'll the clio
uents of bitter and perhaps blood
hight