The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-03-31
ALBION CONDEMNED
CONTINUED from Page IL


in degree and kind with those alleged by
the Bryce report on Belgium atrocities
to have been committed by the imperial
German army" The Bryce commission,
it is pointed out was similarly handi-
capped.
EXcOriates Regime of Terror.
Summing up its conclusions after hear
ing all the testimony, the commission
finds that the Irish people are deprived
OF the protection of British law, to which
they would be entitled as subjects of the
British king. They are likewise deprived
of the moral protection granted by inter-
national law, to which they would be en-
titled as belligerentS. They are at the
mercy of imperial British forces which,
acting contrary both to all law and to
standards of human conduct, have 1nstl-
tuted in Ireland "A terror, the evidence
regarding which seems to prove that:
Il. The imperial British government
has created and introduced into Ireland
force of at least $4,000 men, many Of
them youthful and inexperienced, and
some of them convicts and has melted
that force to unbridled violence.
-. The imperial British forces in Ire
land have indiscriminately killed innocent
men, women and children have tortured
and shot prisoners while in custody,
adopting the subterfuges of refusal to
halt and attempting to escape ; and have
attributed to alleged Sim Fem extrem-
nent Irish Republicans.
%. HouSe-burning and wanton de-
structiOn of villages and cities by lmpe-
rial British forces under imperial Brit
lsh officers have been countenanced. and
ordered by officials of the British govern
| ment and elaborate provision by gasoline
| sprays and bombs has been made in a
| number of instances for systematic in
| cendIarism as part of plan OF terrorism.
a. n campaign for the destruction of
the means of existence of the Irish people
/ has been conducted by the burning of fac
tories. creameries, crops and farm nipple
ments and the shooting of farm animals.
! This campaign is carried on regardless of
| the political views of their owners. and
| results in widespread and acute suffering
! among women and children.
/ .. Acting under series OF proclaim
| atiOnS issued by the competent military
authorities of the imperial British forces,
/ hostages are carried by forces exposed to
the fire of the Republican army: fines are
levied upon towns and villages as punish
ment for alleged offenses of individuals /;
private property is destroyed in reprisals
for acts with which the owners have no
connection and the civilian population is
subjected to an inquisitiOn upon the the
4 DRY that individuals are in possession of
D., information valuable TO the military forces
of Great Britain. These acts of the inn
perial British forces are contrary to the
4 laws of peace or war among modern civ
ilized nations.
IS This terror has failed to re-es-
tabliSh imperial British civil government
IN Ireland. Throughout the greater part
of Ireland British courts have ceased to
Il function; local, county and city govern
mentS refuse to recognize British author
! lty; and British civil officials fulfill no
4 function of service to the Irish people.
-. In spite of the British terror
the ma jority of the Irish people have sane
toned by ballot the Irish republic. give
their allegiance to it; pay taxes to il
and respect the decisions of its courts and
of its civil officials"
II. :. Intervention Hinted.
The commission ALSO declared that "the
situation i'm Ireland was a proper subject
lOf concern for all peoples claiming either
humanity or CIVILIZATION, saying that lit
Iappealed particularly to Americans 50
lclosely bound by ties of blood and culture
to the Irish and English people Unless
moral force could prevail to end the terror
physical force seemed bound to continue
in Ireland, the commission pointed out
both TO deny the possibility of peace in
Ireland and to diminish the possibility OF
non-intervention of our government in the
struggle"
1t seemed to us" says the commission
that we could best serve the cause OF
peace by placing before the English. Irish
and American public the facts of the sit
uatiOn, free from both agOnized exaggera.
tion and moral understatement; for Z
knowledge of the facts might reveal their
cause and recognition of that cause might
permit its cure, by those whose purpose
was not to slay but to heal
Many instances of alleged atrocities
and wanton destruction of property by
the British troops are presented in the
report but all of these We're testified tC
and publicly reported at the time of the
hearings last winter. DenunciatiOn of the
!. methods of the Auxiliary Cadets and the
Black and Tans, two forces of "irregu
| lars that supplement the Royal Irisl
| conStabulary and the regular British
troops, Is expressed in the findings. Evi-
dence of witnesses and dispositions from
victims. according to the report. estab
liShed the fact that these troops included
in their ranks burglars and highwaymen
gunner and petty thieves
Personnel of Commission.
Thirty-six states were represented in
the committee which initiated the inquiry
the report says, including five governors
IL United States senators, Is congress-
men. the mayors of 10 large. cities. Cardi.
nal Gibbons Archbishop Keane and foul
Roman Catholic bishops. seven Protestant
Episcopal bishops. four Methodist biShops
! and numerous clergymen, educators, edi
tors, business men and labor leaders The
lparent committee elected the Sub-commit
tee. or commission, which conducted the
inquiry This commission was composed
| OF L.. 1olhngSWorth Wood, New 1orE
| Quaker lawyer, as chairman: Frederick
&c. Howe. former commissioner of immigra-
ton at New York. vice-chairman Jane
Adams of Hull House, Chicago; James
III. Maurer, president of the American
Federation of Labor of Pennsylvania
Major Oliver Z. Newman former presi-
dent of the board of commissioners oil
the District of Columbus United States
: Senator George w. Norris of Nebraska
? Rev. Norman Thomas, a New York Pres
!, byterian clergyman and United State,
Senator David /. Walsh of Massachu