The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1921-04-08
PEOPLE OF ERIN DEPRIVED OF
PROTECTION OF BRITISH
LAW, ALLEGED TESTI
MONY SHOWS.

WASHINGTON RESPONSE
bility for the present disorders in
Ireland is placed upon the British
government by the commission OF
the Committee of 100 investigating
the Irish question in 10000 word
report made public today and COW
ering the examination of witnesses
at public hearings held by the COM
mission in Washington last Novem-
Der, December and January.
The report has been issued under
the title of 'sThe American Com
mission on Conditions in Ireland"
which announces that it will con-
tinue the inquiry.
Declaring that the commission
was under the disadvantage of
lacking the official British side of
the case" except as it was gathered
from documents presented to it, the
report declares that 1.-THE imperial
British army in Ireland has been
guilty of proved excuses, not in
comparable in degree and kind with
those alleged by the Bryce report OF
Belgium atrocities, to have been
committed by the imperial German
army" The Bryce commission, it
is pointed out is similarly handi-
capped.
SO Witnesses Heard.
Thirty-eight witnesses of alleged
atrocities including 10 Irish, IS
American and two English citizens.
testified before the commission. The
commission admits that it's report is
ex parte in spite of its efforts to hear
all sides. The testimony available,
the report says, gives the case there
fore almost wholly from the Irish
republican or Slim Fein viewpoint
or "from sources not unsympathetic
to the application of the principle of
self-determination to Ireland" The
Ulster Unionist viewpoint and that
of the British authorities in Ireland
the report says, were not represent
ed among the witnesses.
Summing up its conclusions after
hearing all the testimony, the COM
Tric In
are deprived of the protection of
British law, to which they would be
entitled as subjects of the British
king. They are likewise deprived o.
the moral protection granted by in
ternational law. to which they would
be entitled as beligerents. They are
at the mercy of the imperial British
forces which, acting contrary both
to all law and to the standards Of
human conduct, have instituted in
ireland "a terror the evidence re-
garding which seems to prove that:
Il. The imperial British govern
ment has created and introduced in
to ireland a force of at least $4,000
men, many of them youthful and
inexperienced and some of them
convicts; and has invited that force
to unbridled violence.
's2. The imperial British forces in
ireland have Unfortunately killed
innocent men, women and children
have tortured and shot prisoners
while in custody, adopting the sub
terfuges or refusal to halt and at
tempting to escape; and have at
tributed to alleged Sim Fem ex-
tremists' the British assination OF
e prominent Irish republicans.
SO. House BURNING and wanton
destruction of villages and cities by
imperial British forces under i'm
perial British officers have been
countenanced, and ordered by Off
Gals of the British government, and
elaborate provision by gasoline
sprays and bombs has been made il
number of instances for system
attic incendiarism as part of pla1
Of terrorism.
81. A campaign for the destruc
ton Of the means Of existence o
the Irish people has been coductet
by the burning of factories, cream
cries, crops and farm implements
This campaign is carried on regard
less of the political views OF thei
owners, and results in widespread
and acute suffering among wome1
and children.
SIS. Acting under series of proc
lamations issued by the competen
military authorities Of the imperia
British forces, hostages are carrie
by forces exposed to the fire of tn
republican army; fines are levie
upon towns and villages as punish
nent for alleged offences of individ
walls; private property is destroye
in reprisals for acts with which tn
owners have no connection, and tn
~. =, .,,,- m Vs\ED..a III