Evening star., 1921-04-01

investigating the Irish question re-
Ii8ious aspects Of the troubles in Ire
land are discussed here today.
This report. made by the Protestant
members of the commission. summar-
ixes the evidence presented at the
hearings held in November. Decem-
Der and January. as follows:
Outside of a part Of Ulster.
peace and harmony. and their politi-
cal opinions are not primarily a mat
ter of religion.
2. Even in Ulster relibious bigot-
~ ls not by any means wholly spon
taneous. but is artifcially stirred up
litical interests are served by divid-
''s. While it obviously lies beyond
our province to pass final judgment
upon the various aspects of the IL
s s,er issue. we have not only a right.
put q duty as American Protestants.
70 oenounce the degradation Of re-
ii8ion by such pogroms as occurred
last summer. Upon this subject we
owe IT to our fellow religionists, both
IN america and in Ulster. to speak
plainly"
All But One Protestants.
All OF the members Of the commits
SION. excepting United states Senator
David l.; Walsh of Massachusetts,. who
conooct the inquiry. are Protestants.
NO examination of the Irish sit
uation can ignore the religious is
sue. says the report. ut seemed
peculiarly appropriate that Protestant
members should deal with the sub
predominance Of Roman Catholics in
ireland and the charge sometimes
heard in Protestant circles that re-
publican sentiment has Its chief ori-
gin In ecclesiastical agitation
.The only evidence before the COM
controversy resulting in the destruc-
tion OF life and property dealt with
the Ulster riots of the summer of
iSlo. the report says. Unable to OBJ
tam testimony from eyewitnesses or
any member of societies devoted to
tne cause OF Protestant aScendency in
Ulster" the commission says it heard
the testimony of three individual nom
catholics. two Of whom were Ameri-
can citizens and the third "a British
citizen OF Scotch Presbyterian stock"
AS in the case of the major report,
the testimony Of witnesses taken be-
fore this committee was made public
at the time it was EiveH
Like Russian Pokroms.
Referring to the Belfast disorders
beginning July 81. 1920, in which. by
the end of August. fifty-six persons
were killed. the commission observed
mat these riots between Protestants
ana catholics in which Protestants
were the aggressors. partook of the
character of Russian pogram against
the Jews"
One Of the witnesses, Mrs. Annot
robinson. the report said. declared
that in October. 1920, she visited IN
ster and found that more than 20 900
expelled workers and their families
were existing on relief" Some Of
tnem. the report said. were expelled
not only from their jobs. but from
their the homes. The victims. it contin-
though among them were Protestants
suspected of Tabor, socialist or Sinn
Fein sympathies."
Promoters of Bfeotry.
The Ulster pogroms," the renort
continued, were not primarily due
TO spontaneous nare-up of smol-
dering bigotry. but were rather pro
moted by those whose economic and
to strong labor unionism and to
lrlsh republica nism. Certain manu-
iacturers and unionist politicians. it
was alleged. had taken alarm at the
solidartty of labor, Protestant and
dos yard strike shown of ,s1a. N the great ship
AS regards the rest of Ireland out
sac the region Immediately about
Belfast. the commission says, it was
Impressed by the evidence of lack
of any religious strife"
Testimony from several prominent
Protestant business men Of Belfast
Is cited in the report. which added
to the conviction of the commits
sion that "excesses Of the British
forces in Ireland. were tending to
dispose southern Protestants favor
ably toward the republican govern
ment"
The commission said it was con-
yinced that mot only were some
Potestants republican in sympathy,
but that there were Catholics anti
republican" The latter included
members Of the Catholic clergy, who,
at best. 1t was said. were decidedly
lukewarm toward Sim Fein."
One of the witnesses. the report
said. cited the case. of a priest who
refused to lead his flock in prayers
for Terence MacSwiney during his
hunger strike"