Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-17
IRISH BILL PASSES
SECOND READING
Amendment to Alter Boundary
Commission Provision in Treaty
Defeated, 3o2 to SO
AZ KIDNAPPED MEN FREED
BY the Associated Press

London. Feb. 1.-THE bill establish =
ing the lrieh Free State passed its sec.
! ond reading in the House Of Commons
today after the amendment offered by
Captain Charles Craig. leader of the
Ulster Unionists. for altering the
Boundary Commission provisions of the
Anglo Irish Treaty had been defeated
by vote Of 302 TO 60.
Lord Hugh Cecil charged the Govern.
ment with treating the Sim Fcin as IL
1t were constituted government.
Now that We have found IL is not
a government, and that crimes Of a
| terrible character are breaking out. "
he said. ~ think the bill ought to
| did not express their own opinions. but
one ano,her's opinions. 1.-The Govern
ment." be continued, ''is in the as
founding position that II wants the
Chief Boundary Commissioner to decide
whether the Government should break
faith with Ulster. The Government is
looking on with interested curiosity to
see whether they are cheats and lians. y
Former Premier Asauith vigorously
supported the bill. in the debate before
the vote. saying the boundary ques-
tion was an Integral part Of the treaty
and that II would be impossible for the
Government or the Parliament to cs-
cape the charge Of gross bad faith il
there were any Reputation Of that part
OF the agreement.
Lloyd George Dafeilds Course
Prime Minister Lloyd George. inter.
| rupting an attack on the Government
by Thomas Molcs. Unionist member for
the Ormeau division Of Belfast. con-
tradictcd the Ulster members assertion
that the Government had assured Sir
James Craig that the boundary adjust
ment would be OF minor character
while promising Michael Collins cx.
tcnsive changes.
ulster demands straight deal"
said Mr., Moles. "If breach is made
| in the wall surrounding the Ulster area
and invasion is attempted we will stand
in the breach and defend it or fill 1t
with our dead bodies"
During tho debate Austen Chamber
lain. the Government leader, revealed
( to the House that at ono point in the
negotiations with Eamon de Valera the
Government thought the struggle in Ire
! land would have 10 be renewed and that
tn" Government AZ that time commune :
! Gated with military and police advisers
( concerning requirements for bringing
the struggle to n successful conclusion.
He said the Government was prepared.
II no other way was possible, to raise
100 900 men in addition to putting all
available troops into ireland and to
wage this most cruel form of war month
after month il necessary. Therefore. Lc
argued, the Government had a right TO
try to see II there were other honor.
able means Of accord still open.
Labor Backs Bill
Speaking for the labor members OF
the Commons. J. II. Thomas urged
, rapid passage Of the bill. He asserted
that the chief difficulty confronting
Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith was
not the followers Of Mr.. De Valera, but
the advocates Of u Soviet republic,
Roland Mcneil. Union;st member
for the Canterbury division of Ken
attacking the Anglo. Irish treaty, de.
cared that Mr.. Churchill in the
dead 0f night had signed away the who,
bnsis of the Conservative doctrine. He
snid he feared Lloyd Georges name
would 20 down in history las the man
who won the war and lost the En-.
pirc.'
Secretary Churchill. in repudiatin,
the charge Of Mr.. McNei!l. said the bill
was not the policy which any party
| sought or desired to follow.
when signed the treaty 7 knew,
the risks was running, ! staked nv
whole political life and reputation
and what is more. the respect of nv
friends and colleagues" Secretary
Churchill said.
Belfast. Feb. 17.-fBy A. P.)--
Forty two Ulster Unionists, kidnapped
! during the recent raids across tho hor :
] lnr from tho Snnth hox han,,
Michael Collins. head Of the Provisional
Government, today trlegraphed Colonial
| Secretary Churchill that he had sue
ceeded in obtaining the liberation Of this
number of prisoners.
Belfast was quiet last night. but there
was further inccndiarism in County
Tyrone, where yesterday IN ,lnsucccss. !.
full effort was made to destroy the Stra +.
bane workhouse. which the military had
commandecred for barracks purposes. 4
large mansion near Ballygawley, owned
by Belfast firm. was burned during
tn" night. Quantities of hay saturated
/ with petrol had been placed in the
rooms.
!, The Executive Board of the Sinp
Fein in Belfast has sent the following
telegram to Prof: John MacNcill,
Speaker Of the Dali Eireann, in Dub.
lin:
"On behalf Of the religious and po.
litical minority in Belfast. forming
, 100 900 citizens, W" protest against the
misleading and lying statements con-
tanned in the telegram addressed bv
Sir James Craig to the Premier Of Eng
land in which h" states that the re :
cent murdcrous atrocities 10 which our
people have been subjected were The
outcome of raids in Tyrone and Fer
mansgb and the affrny az Clones Sta i.
ton.
we assert that it can easily bc
! proved our people were being murdered
almost daily for week before either
of the occurrences mentioned. Further.
more. We nre convinced that Craig de :
libnratcly made this misrepresentation
for the purpose Of excusing or justifying
the cruel and cold -boodod murders
being inflicted on the minority in this
city, on whose behalf we speak"
JURY CLEARS YOUNGSTER