New-York tribune., 1921-03-30
Ireland's Need
Hunger and Misery. Despite Con-
trary Reports. Says Eyewitness


To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Your correspondent G.. T. B.
wishes to know how American money
raised for relief in Ireland is to be
spent He makes the statement that it
cannot be spent on food, because there
is food at present in ireland. / con-
fess I do not follow this reasoning.
AS matter of fact, the American
Committee for Relief in Ireland has
expressly stated that it intends to buy
the food there--as long as it lasts.
The prospects of continued agricultural
prosperity are not as rosy as your COR
respondent seems to think. This, how
ever, is a side issue.
What wish seriously to dispute
with G. T. B. is his assertion in re-
gard to the Irish peoples needs. /
don't know when Sir Horace Plunkett
made the statement quoted. Being a
sincere admirer of his, l should not
care to say he is unacquainted with
facts. But do know, having just come
back from Ireland myself, that there is
considerable suffering by no means
confined to slums.
For example, there are 10000 people
in Belfast who, for nine months, have
been living on fund contributed by
the rest of Ireland and from across
the Channel. Does your correspondent
know that such men as Viscount Bryce
and Lord Levcrhulme are helping in
this relief? Or does he wish t. imply
that they're wasting money? I believe
100000 has been distributed by this
fund, and yet, large as that sum was
1t is gone-it allowed only n weekly
dole of 81 for families numbering from
five to nine; half, tr'ak. for less.
Since August hundseaa OF people
from Lisburn haye been added to the
beneficiaries of this fund. In Cork
now there are 500 families destitute
as result of the burning. Children
there live on half pint Of milk and a
roll of bread day. In Mallow I have
myself seen the ex-workers of the con-
densed milk factory, which was burned
to the ground in October, fling to the
workhouse for relief. Half the popu-
lation.of that town were made destitute
the night of the fire.
Your correspondent might have found
other quotations from Sir Horace Plum
kett concerning the destruction of
creameries. Fifty of these, which are
the chief source of Treland's agricul-
tural prosperity, are now in ruins.
Moreover, there is a terrible lack of
tilage this spring, owing to the alb
sence of men and the fear of the
women to take their place because Of
the danger of being shot.
I agree with your correspondent that
it would be mpolitic at present to re-
build, and I believe the American COM
mittee has no intention of SO doing.
But the bank is no place for money
which is needed to keep people alive
And it is needed urgently, as I know
Being an eX-soldier who went to
France in 1914, I have no hesitation in
pleading with the American people to
save the on-combatants of my coun-
'Ay AioA oIdI'dIiol, as Cney saved
those of Belgium in 1915. And l have
no doubt they will respond to the plea
now being made, as they have done so
often in the case Of both friends and
former enemies. I hope they will re-
member that my country has total
population Of only 100000. If Amer
ica sent as many to the front in pro-
portion to her population as Ireland
sent, she would have had an army of
100000 in France. 1t is not on the
basis of service, however, that we are
asking assistance now, but on the
humanitarian basis of salvaging human
life. A. P. CORCORAN,
Late Captain r. E.
New York, March %. 1921.