Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-02-14
Fear Civil
War is Near
in Ireland

~~AAooh' W. 10" IC lilSu Sltud-
ton since the raids over the Ulster
border has steadily become worse and
no secret is made of the grave alarm
with which it is viewed in official cir
cles in London. Winston Spencer
Churchill, secretary for the colonies
declared in the House of Commons
this afternoon that the shooting of
the Ulster special constables at Clones
mad greatly aggravated the situation
The Evening Standard asserts that
ireland is on the brink of civil war
and quotes a member of the govern
ment as saying that, while the gov
eminent hesitates to do anything
which the Sim Feiners could inter-
pref as provocative, swift military
preparations have already been made
to prevent an armed invasion of
Fermanagh and Tyrone.
In the light of the developments of
the last few days much significance
is attached to the suspension today
OF the evacuation of British troops
from Southern Irish ports. The Irish
officers explains that the suspension
was ordered pending decision, re-
garding the extent Of the reinforce
ments 10 he sent to Ulster. Sir
James Craig, Ulster premier, an
nounced tonight that the Ulster gar
rison Of British troops was to be in
creased from 10 battalions, the previ-
GUS number, to IA.
Tho r;o -
was continued today, the death roll
from Saturday being about L. killed
and 20 or more wounded. The cur
few was rc-imposed tonight. The
shooting ARRAYS in Belfast during the
past "A hours occurred over a widely
extended area. The gun men have
kept we'll under cover, and the police
and soldiers patrolling in armed cars
are having difficulty in locating them
Sir James Craig teleeraphed the
British government tonight asking
what action "other then despatchng
messages to Dublin" the government
was taking or had taken to secure
the return OF the kidnapped loyalists.
Michael Collins. head of the pro-
visional government, in a message to
the American association for the
recognition of the Irish Republic
charges that coup De'etat is being
planned against the provisional gov
eminent and warns the association
against assisting in any attempt to
destroy the new government.
Mr.. Collins informed the associa-
ton that the alternative to the treaty
10 -pI of bA f,,
clared that the provisional govern
ment wanted the people themselves
to decide the issue. adding that if
they decided for war there need not
be any doubt as to where he would
stand.
In conformity with the decision to
release Irish political prisoners in
England, the government liberated Il
this afternoon. The release OF the
others is expected to follow shortly.
Hilarious scenes were witnessed at
the Peter Head railway station when
those released today boarded the
train. They had been serving terms
varying from three to 10 years penal
servitude, most of them having been
found in possession of arms in Scot
land. They sang THE soldiers
song" as the train departed.
Disorders in southern Ireland also
continue. Two daring bank robberies
occurred today at Sligo. Eight men
drew up in an automobile to the bank
of Ireland, held up the employees and
got away with about $1,000. About
the same time the Provincial bank
was raided and robbed of $4,000.
Mr.. Collins. in a statement regard
ing the three persons arrested chare-
ed with the killing of Lieut.. Wogan
Brown, says:
Every one. civilian and soldier.
has co-operated in tracing those re-
sponsible for this ahominable action