Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-01-22
RELIGIOUS HATE
|SF0STEREDbY'
BRITAIN, CHARGE
Attacks on Priests and
Nuns on Increase,
Witness Testifies.
Destruction Of Indus
trial Plants Revealed
by Two Women.

Washington, Jan. 21.-Eng-
land is fostering religious in
tolerance and suppressing in
dustry in Ireland in an effort
to prevent self-determination,
Miss Louie Bennett, said to be
a Protestant woman from
Dublin, Friday told the commits
sion of the Committee of One
Hundred investigating condi-
tions in Ireland.
Attacks by the British military on
Catholic churches and on nuns and
priests are increasing, Miss Bennett
said, withthe intention of reviving the
spirit of religious intolerance as be-
tween Catholics and Protestants with
the view of preventing Irish opinion
from uniting.
Creameries Destroyed.
In discussing her charges of the sup
preston of industry, the witness de-
scribed the destruction of cream and
other cooperative industries. 1t was
"a ridiculously foolish policy" she said,
which permitted the destruction of an
industry that could sell butter cheaply
to the English people who are now
forced to pay exorbitant prices.''
Testimony in support Of Miss Ben
nett's charges was also given by Miss
Caroline NJ. Townsend. Both are
members of the Irish Women's Inter
national league. and they presented
letters and documents to support their
charges. Some Of the letters, Miss Ben
nett said, were from business men Of
Belfast in Ulster, and she added that
their lives would be in danger should
their names be published in this con-
nection.
Nunneries Are Raided.
Miss Bennett told of two recent al
legged forcible entrances into Dublin
as one Of which was an
exclusive Catholic order which exclud-
ed even relatives Of the nuns from
visiting the building.
She described the functioning Of the
Sim Fein government and declared
that the success with which the provi-
sional Irish republic, through its land
courts. met the crisis from "cattle
driving in which peasants drove herds
from pastures and seized the lands.
proved that the Irish people could
'N''A% LAiNAA wv PIoO1eIIS llOIC SdtlS-
factorily than outside authority. The
land problem, which was involved in
The cattle driving. had never been met
by the English authorities in spite of
years of ''bungling over it," the witness
said, but the Sinn Fcin government
met the crisis through its land courts.
Practically all parties accepted the
decisions of the courts, she said. Those
who did not were tried and sent to
an unknown destination"
Statement Most Complete.
Miss Townsend gave what members
IF the commission pronounced the |
most complete statement so far pre-
sented regarding the withdrawal by
England of local grants. These grants, |
rom taxes paid by the Irish, she said, |
lad been "doled out by England" to |
support hospitals, asylums and similar
Institutions but now are being used by |
England to pay members of the British |
armed forces for injury or damage suf- |
'ered as result Of malicious injury"
lone by Irish people.
Policemen have been solemnly |
awarded hunreds of pounds of this |
money held back from our hospitals
md asylums," Miss Bennett said, in |
discussing the subject, because of |
kicks in the shins received or alleged
% have been received, while arresting |
/ drunken man." !