Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-04-01
laDlVCS OF
lC0M|IMl|]llT'EE ARE
NOT APPROVED
British Embassy Declares
Report on. Ireland is
Misleading.

dred Investigation conditions in Ire
and placing. moral responsibility for
dis~ordersathpre on the British govern
ment are characterized as CHASED
ment issued today by the British en-
bassy in answer to the commissions
report.
The report, the embassy statement
said. was entitled to exactly the
amount of weight which should be
given to any judgment based entirely
upon the evidence Of. eX-parte state
ments sand put forward for the most
part by persons admittedly holding ex-
treme views"
THAT the crown forces Gin Irelandl
Under almost incredible PROPAGATION
patientlSS%sborne during many months.
have on SOME occasions broken the
bonds of discipline and committed UNI
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES violence is not de-
Med" the embassy statement con-
tinued, but to say that such acts
have been ordered. encouraged and
condoned by the British government
is absolutely false. The interests
which, suffer most by acts of indisci-
pline are those of the government it
self.
THE facts speak for themselves.
Most Prosperous Part Of Kingdom
Ireland so far from being a de-
vastated country. is the most prosper
u part of the United Kingdom and
probably of the whole of western
Europe Separate trade statistics for
the various, parts of the United King
dom, forming rs sthey do one tisca!
unit. are not readily available. but a
reliable index te-the general prosper
ay of the country can be found in the
returns of deposits in joint stock
banks which have increased as fol-
lows: 1914, $4,000. 0o0 pounds ster-
ling; 1919. 1856. 1000. 900 pounds. ster-
ling; 1890. 200. e0o, 900 pounds ster-
ling.
This prosperity continues and is
only affected in, a very minor degree
and that mainly in the nor;h-by
the general industrial depression.
The report of the committee lays
stress on the so-called reprisals~ and
ignores the fact that before even the
Irish p~ropagandists suggested in Sep
tenlber. 1920. that reprisals were TAX
ing splacest 90 policemen. II soldiers
anda23 civilians had been murdered
in cold bleod.sand. 1b9 policemen, SIS
soldiers ard ~ Civilians wounded, in
most cases without a chance. of de-
Tending themselves BY the same
date. 1900 buildings had been burned
and wholly or partly destroyed.
.aThe Terror of the Revolver"
''Sinn Fein has established its po-
sition by the terror of the revolver,
which has silenced the moderate opin-
ion of the 8 majority of lrishmen,
1t desires to claim for the Irish Re
publican army the s4atu of bellig-
erents, ignoring the fact hat the
metlbers of that force constantly. in.
deed Invariably violate the laws o.
war as recognized by every civilized
community, in q manner which &C
cording to the same laws. justifies tn.
nerAlty ofGdaaths for all offenders
Their methods ARE those of the assas
~In;ftheirt deadly work is done b,
stealth by persons in the sarb o
civilians who move about under tn
protection OF the law until the mo
Immediately after killing their victim
revert to the aspect and demeanor o
peaceful citizens. Expanding bulle,
are frequently employed by these Sin.
Feiners. Increasing pressure by crow!
forces has succeeded in forcing then
more and more to abandon thei
method Of individual assassination il
bands. but the furitive character o
b activities still continues.
Acts Not Ordered
aThat the crown forces, under al
moss Incredible ~provocation. patient
" borne during many months. hav
on some occasions broken the bond
Of discipline and committed unjusti
fable acts of violence is not denied
hut to say that such acts have bee
ordered, encouraged or condoned b
the British government is absolutel
false. The interests which suffer mo
by acts Of discipline are those Of tn
government itself.
The actual facts with regard I
specific points raised in the report o
the lcommittee are as follows:
ss1he total ration strength of tn
crown forces is 81, 900. The anteced
entE of allxecrnits are carefully in
vest4gated nc man of known ba
chAEacter is retained for a moment.
.sThere has been no indiscriminat
killing; men have been shot throug
failing to halt when challenged b
sentries. and innocent persons in
suffered death OF wounds in course c
armed conflict resulting from un
provoked attacks made by Sim Feir
erxupon forces Of the crown in crowd
edstreets- Apart from these an
similar inadvertent casualties. III
record # the crown forces is abso
luteE clean so far as women an
children are concerned.
ss6eports of t%orturing Of prisoner
hav4s been %scornpletely disprove
whel6ever setefnpt was made to br1n
/ forward tahgiple evidence.
.fhere Are tire strongest ground
I for 6~ttributing to extreme Sim Feir
ers tie murders Of prominent republ
cans5 such as Lord Mayor McCurtai
OF Cork and the mayor and alderma
! of limerick"
6aie3ous Issuc' in Ireland.