New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1921-06-18

Mrs. MargOt ASqulth. She vleS
with Lady Astor as the leading
woman politician of Great Bri-
tain.)
London. June 4.-Ircland to-
day presents. | believe. the most
serious internal problem which
our country has had to face
since the revolt of the American
colonies. II is a political prob
lem, and demands a political So
luton. The present govern
government. like their predcccs-
sors nearly $50 years ago, are
making the mistake of attemp-
ting to solve it by force.
What the result is | shall at
tempt to show. in part at least,
by a few instances of which
was able to get direct evidence
during a recent visit 10 Ireland.
in the belief that if the English
lpeople were to understand what
is being done in their name they
would instantly disown it and
bring il to an end, as unworthy
of their traditions and of the
deals for which they have
fought.
| l do not deny or attempt to
excuse the crimes of the other
side, and / willingly acknowl-
ledge that terrible provocation
has been and is being offered TO
the forces of the crown.
But | assert that no prOvOca-
ton justifies a government in
substituting vengeance for JUS
tice, nor can a government en-
force law by crime and order by
anarchy.
Above all, l believe that our
present methods of government
| in Ireland are futile; 600 lives,
English and Irish, have been lost
since the beginning of the year,
and each one is an unnecessary
sacrifice. England can bring
this tragic and dishonOrable
struggle 10 an end tomorrow if
only she will show once more
the courage and generosity Of
strength on which she has built
up a great and glorious tradition.
''Have you any firearms?"
/ This challenge, suddenly adj
dressed to me on the platform at
Hollyhead, first made me laugh,
iand then startled me into a kind
of realization of the fact that
three hours away, across that
narrow strip of sea, the use of
firearms was part of the ordi-
nary routine of daily life.
AT Kingstown | stepped off the
boat INTO what seemed to be not
merely a different country but q
different century. Safety and
freedom, which we here in Eng
land take as much for granted
as the sky above us or the air we
breathe, these do not exist in.
Ireland today. During my fort
nights stay there | learned some-
thing of the---to us uniInagin-
able horror of the life of a ma
ton from which these things
have been withdrawn. $.
Fixed bayonets, shell helmets,
barbed wire and sandbags, the
thunder Of ar1norcd cars over
lcobblcstones the stiffness of cur
few, the handcuffed prisoners
marched away undep the gaze
of sullen, silent crowds, these
things made me realize that Ire
land is being held today a. a
hostile country by an army Of
occupation. But when l saw the
ruined villages, when saw
children flying to their homes
for safety at the distant rumble
Of q police lorry, then under
stood that other. darber forces
had been called in. Outside the
army. independent Of ii, and
alien I otis whole tradition, Ter
rorism was at work.
A Police Lorry.
Within two days of my arrival
/ CHANGED to follow. within an
hour or two Of its passage, in the
wake Of q police lorry Zone Of
MANY hundreds which are scotlr-
ing Ireland) over eight miles Of
country road in a quiet county
in the west. The lorry was car
rying fifteen policemen, and 4 |
hostage was strapped to II, said
by those who saw him to be the |
member Of parlianent for that |
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