The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-01-21
AN IRISH MAYOR
IS INTERVIEWED

Mayor David Morgan Of Thurles,
Ireland, visited the Labor Bureau,
Chicago, on Saturday, December 10,
1920, and the following interesting
interview took place.
Q-What atrocities do you per-
sonally know Of?
A-The outbreak in Thurles in
January last before | was arrested.
The outbreak took place in the mid
die of the night and was carried on
with all the vehemence and horror
Imaginable.
Q-What about the burning Of the
creamerles?
Aground our place Is creamer-
les were burned in systematic
manner. When the town Of Temple
more was sacked, the black and
tans walked into one Of the stores
/ selling gasoline and took all the
cans they could and put them into
their motor lorries. They then made
circuit Of the distric: and each
! creamery in that circuit vas visited
and, with the gasoline looted from
! the store in Templemore, they burn
/ ed the creameries, one after the
/ other.
Q-What about your arrest?
About a week after the shoot
1 ing up Of the town, there were four
/ Of US arrested in the town Of
/ Thurles, on no charge-simply gov
eminent orders as we were informed
by the leaders Of the patrol who
arrested US. We were handcuffed
and taken away in lorries, travelling
the best part OF the night
and were brought back the next
day to Cork, still handcuffed, being
handcuffed for "a hours. A week
later we were removed to a convict
prison in England We were again
handcuffed, taken in motor lorry
to boat and put on board. We
were put down in the hold, still
being handcuffed, but the captain
Of the boat interviewed for US and
the handouts were removed. How
ever, we were "a hours without
food We were kept imprisoned
without any charge being preferred
against US, and probably would have
been kept there indefinitely had
not the hunger strike been resorted
to.
Q-What part does labor play in
FREEING Ireland?
A-Labor is practically unanimous
in recognition of the Irish Republic
and all minor issues have been set
aside in order TO let the real issue
90 forward. Labor in Ireland is
1 playing great part in refusing tc
ship soldiers and munitions. Eng
land today is hindering the only
party that is able to govern Ireland
the Republican party.
Q-What must America do tC
bring immediate freedom for Ire.
land?
At is up to America to assist
the Irish Republic. The boycott i:
one Of the best methods and will
cause disintegration in England
The labor market is their main.
stay. An effective boycott viii
tie up England tight.
Q-Do you think Ireland would
succeed if she got moral support
from America?
Al believe if the true facts were
known in America, as they should
be known, any support America
would give Ireland would prove
very valuable and assist in bring.
ing Ireland's fight to a climax. The
English Labor Party states that the
/ crimes committed in Thurles were
as bad, if not worse, than those
committed in Belgium. Belgium
had the privilege Of training hel
soldiers, drilling and preparing then
for warfare. Ireland was denied
this right, not being allowed to ever
own firearms let alone drill with
them. When an Irishman found il
necessary TO protect himself against
the onslaught Of the black and tans
he was at a terrible disadvantage as
/ physical force was his only weapon
Of defense. Of course, should he be
fortunate enough to confiscate a
rifle, probably dropped by fallen
back and tan, he was, indeed, lucky
1t is a one-sided fight when man
is not allowed the same means Of
defense as the other fellow.
| O-What IS the purpose Of the cur.
few Law?
A-The purpose Of the curfew is
| simply to clear the streets so that
they can have a free hand to carry
on their raids without any interfer-
ence from the populace.
Q-What effect do you think mar
tial law will have in Ireland?
A-Their idea Of martial law is
to put an end to fairs and markets
thus leaving the goods on hand in
Ireland. Martial law will hit ag.
riculture by stopping the selling Of
produce
Q-Can Ireland's position be
rightly compared TO the effort on
the part Of our Southern states Ia
Withdraw from the United States in
1861 as ridiculously compared anc