Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-04-01
Committees Report
(Continued from Page one)


"-House-burning and wanton
destruction of villages and cities by
Imperial British forces under Inn
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 In
a number Of instances for systematic
incendiarism as part Of plan OF
terrorism.
a. A campaign for the destruction
Of the means of existence of the Irish
people has been conducted by the
burning of factories, creameries. crops
and arm implements 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.
SO. Acting under a series of PRO-
carnations 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 up
for alleged offenses of individuals;
private property is destroyed in Re
prisals for acts with which the owners
have no connection; and the civilian
population is subjected to an inquisi-
ton upon the theory that individuals
are in possession of information valu
able to the military forces of Great
Britain. These acts of the Imperial
British forces are contrary to the laws
of peace or war among modern civil
lized nations.
"6. This terror has failed to rees-
tablish Imperial British civil govern
ment in Ireland. Throughout the
greater part of Ireland, British courts
have ceased to function; local, coun-
ty and city governments refuse to re-
cognize British authority; and British
civil officials fulfill no function of
service to the Irish people.
81. In spote of the British terror
the majority of the Irish people have
sanctioned by ballot the Irish Repub-
lie, give their allegiance to it; pay
taxes to it; and respect the decisions
of it's courts and of it's civil officials"
Two kinds of killings" have char
acterized the Irish republican war
fare, according to the report. First,
the casualties resulted from the Sim
Feiners' attempts to obtain arms and
ammunition in attacking motor lor-
ries nd police barracks, and. second,
the secret execution" of spies, trait
ors and enemies of the Irish repub-
lie who have been adjudged guilty
by it's courts and sentenced to death.
It is admitted that the accused never
appear before these Sim Fem tribu-
nails. Minor offenses are punishable
by sentencing the guilty to enforced
absence from their home town and
residence for a stated period in IAN
unknown locality" The commission
condemns the so-called legaliZed kill
ingS.
Many instances Of alleged atrocities
and wanton destruction of property
by the British troops are presented in
the report but all of these were testi-
fled to and publicly reported at~the
time of the hearings last winter. De-
nunciation of the methods of the
Auxiliary Cadets and the Black and
Tans, two forces of 'irregulars,' that
supplement the Royal Irish Constab-
ulary and the regular British troops
is expressed in the findings. Evidence
of witnesses and dispositions from vic
Tins, according to the report, estab-
lished the fact that these troops in
cIuded in their ranks burglars and
highwaymen, gunner and petty
thieves"
Regarding casualties, the commits
sion says that it is justified in con-
Guiding that mot more than 600 of
the British have been killed in Ire
land from May 1916 to December
1920. These 600 casualties would
seem to have occurred in force of
$4,000 during period of four and
half years, it is pointed out, or
at the rate of not more than &c of
one percent per annum.
On the other hand, according to
lists compiled by the Irish Republi-
can government and submitted to the
commission, more than 200 unarmed
Irish civilians were killed by the
military and police during 1920 alone
This number. it was said. included
six women, IL children, 10 old men
and two priests but did not include
persons killed in the fighting. The
commission says it does not vouch
for the exactness of the figures but
direct testimony" it says, showed
the killing of civilians in 1920 ran
into many hundreC5."s
The testimony attributed to the
British forces approximately $4,000
raids. entailing "wreckage of proper
ty. robbery, murder of citizens, bru-
tality to priests and women and
children. and indiscriminate fog
giny." Many of the raids, it was said
were made at night by members of
the British forces dressed in civilian
clothing"
I'VE would extend our sympathy
to the great British people," says the
commission in concluding it's report
1.-THE army which is the instrument of
their government in Ireland would al
so seem to be the instrument of the
destruction of that moral heritage
which was their glory and which cast
it's lustre on each and all of them. The
sun of that glory seems finally to
have set over Ireland. British Jus
tice' has become discredited thing
The official Black and Tans in Ire
land compete for the dishonor of An
glo-Saxon civilization with our un-
official lynch mobs. We hope
that the wrong done to Ireland may
be righted and the agony of her peo-
pie cease. When these things shall