Evening star., 1922-12-30
EREESTATEDR|VE
. IODRAST|CACT|0N
Cosgrave Declares Execu'
tions Came Only When Ef-
forts for Amity Failed.
AMNESTY OFFERED ALL
Leniency Said to Have Only Spur
red 1rregulars On to Greater
Disorders.
By the Associa ted Press.

By the Associated Press.
DUBLIN. December 3O-William
Cosgrave, in a statement to the AS
ISOLATED Press. has explained the
necessity for the free state govern
ment to put into force its stern meas
ures OF repression against the d.ssi-
dent factions in Ireland Leniency
had proved ineffective and. on behalf
of at least SO per cent of the people.
the government had found it neces-
sary to make the republicans realize
tho iniquity OF the destruction and
the degradation and misery they were
bringing on the motherland." Mr..
Cossrave's statement follows:
The leniency hitherto shown by
the government. which is representa-
tive OF at least 9S per cent of the
people. having had little effect on the
rank and lle of the irregulars. and
none at all on their leaders. it be-
ures to restore order.
Sought to Soften Hearts.
Until recently prisoners taken in
ambushes and armed robberies. or
arrested even for deliberate murder
OF unarmed soldiers or civilians.
merely were interned in the hope that
lenient treatment. when compared
with that meted out in the past by
an alien government, would soften
their hearts and make them realize
the inquity Of the destruction and the
degradation and misery they were
bringing on the motherland.
Far. however. from having this
comfort on capture made every robber
and evil-doer a camp follower of the
irreGulars. helping them in robbing
banks. smashing railways, etc. and
generally living as parasites on the
community. Even the irregulars In
to defy all regulations. and. taking
advantage Of tho privileges afforded
them, they went so far In one case
as to attempt to burn their place OF
detention. and in another to smuggle
in arms for surprise attack on the
guard. with the result that some were
killed or wounded, while the fmpris-
oned leaders continued to smuggle
instructions to those outside. thus ac-
lively Identifying themselves with the
development of the irregulars' policy
Worked for Chnos.
This was a situation that could
not be allowed to continue indefinite
ly il the nation was to live. The tr-
regular leaders made no secret OF the
fact that the production of chaos was
the means they looked to to make
the government Impossible and to
prevent the Free State from being
finally established.
The dali eireann, therefore. re-
solved to set up military courts. en-
powered to infiict the death penalty
for specific otfenses. But before
these courts were operated amnesty
was offered to all willing to surrender
arms before a certain date. A long
any sentences were carried out. A
majority Of the irregulars did not
take the matter seriously. They had
mistaken gentleness for weakness.
and had lived in the delasion that the
government would be afraid OF public
opinion to act drastically.
Leaders Become Desperate.
Far from relaxing. therefore. the
leaders became more desperate in
their methods. until at last they hit
upon the expedient of declaring the
government and parliament illegal
and its members rebels against the re-
public In order to lend the appearance
fate TO representatives Of the people.
They had failed to make any sort
of a stand against the army In open
fighting: they had failed as signally
in guerrilla tactics: they had then at
tempted; by methods of wholesale
their will. Again they failed. and in
despair they had taken up the definite
policy OF assassinating deputies in
order to reduce the people to i'm
potence by depriving them Of their
leaders.
Hits Shameful Propaganda.
Under the absurd prctext of de-
Tending the republic against rebels.
and fortified in advance by propa-
ganda OF the most lying and degraded
kind. directed against the govern
mont and army which had treated
them with consideration and chivairy
which amazed all observers. these
armed guerrillas. representing actual
ly less than one-half of / per cent of
the population. led their dupes to the
very point Of executing members of
the dali. Sean Hales and Patrick
O'Maille being the first victims.
THE government had no option but
10 combat this deadly policy In the
only plain and effective manner avail
lowing the attack on the two depu-
ties. they executed four irregular
leaders. The government. hiding moth
ing from the people Of Ireland. who sup
port them in such an overwhelming
majority. made no effort to camou-
have repaid trust with trust.
We are acting In the sure knowl-
edge that we are doing the best for
our country and that ultimately the
simple principle of majority rule
armed man servant of unarmed man
will triumph In Ireland as else
where. The shameful irregular propa-
ganda now being carried on in Amer
fca 10 q demonstration of the type of
mind the government has had to deal
with.
British Leave Forever.
The British have left our country
finally and forever. Not a single Brit
ish soldier remains in the Free State.
The royal Irish constabulary are re-
placed by an unarmed civil guard
and Irish courts are functioning all
over the country. Full authority Eow
Is in the hands OF the Irish people.
and at the next election. few months
hence. all men and all women over
twenty-one will have the right to
vote.
with Gods help we can look for
ward to the day when Ireland. united
and free, shall have reaped the full
fruits OF her sacrifices and her tri-
umDhS"