The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-12-09
Report Caused Fierce At
tack on Cabinet in Free
State Parliament.
LABOR LEADS OPPOSITION
Cosgrave Charges Assassina-
ton Plot and Wins by Vote
Of 80, to IA.


Special Cable to THE New YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1929, bv TIE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Dublin, Dec. 8.
Four prominent Irish irregular lead
ers-Rory OCdnnor, Liam Mellowes,
Joseph McKelvey and Richard Bar
rett--were executed in Mountjoy
prison this morning in reprisal for the
assassination of Deputy Sean Hales
yesterday. With the execution Of
these men Eamon de Valera is now
the only prominent rebel leader.
O'Connor, who headed the old mill
tary executive, was generally consid-
cred to be the leader Of the armed
opposition to the treaty. Mellowes was
secretary of the executive and also a
violent enemy Of the treaty. All four
were caught when the Government
last June recaptured the Four Courts
building after it had been seized and
held by the rebels under OConnor
and Mellowes.
1t has not been officially announced
how the men were put to death. but 1t is
presumed they were hanged. The ex-
ecutions took place soon after 3 o'clock
by decree of a court-martial which had
been called Thursday to try them.
Reprisal and Warming.
The announcement by the Government
that the executions had been carried out
as reprisal, and as warning to those
'n the conspiracy of assassination
against the representatives of the Irish
people," resulted in a stormy debate in
the Dali. where The Governments policy
was bitterly challenged. but in the end
the Government was upheld by vote or
! 80 to IA.
Deputy Tom Johnson. Laborite. led
the attack, which rose to its highest
Laborite. taunted the Cabinet with being
unfit and incompetent. You have
smashed the Irish Free State" he
shouted. you are loosing more anarchy
than Rory O'Connor ever loosed from
the Four Courts"
William Fitzgibbon. one of the former
Unionist supporters. made an intense
appeal to the Cabinet not to repeat the
action taken to-day.
In his replies to these attacks William
u. Cosyrave, President of the Cabinet,
revealed that only the evening previous
70 the assassination of Hales he had
telephoned TO Richard Mulcahy. Minister
of Defense, to say IL there were any
cases before the military courts he
thought the time had cone for a show
of clemency. Mulcahy, Cosgrave said.
held the same opinion.
Ernest Blythe, Minister of Local Cow
ernment in his reply also mentioned
that the Government had received re-
ports Of public opinion around the coun-
try In the last two weeks which showed
that a drastic policy was indorsed by
the people.
Government FierceIy Attacked.
The attack, in which George Gavan
Duffy, a signatory OF the treaty. Joined.
rested chiefly In tho assertion that such
,eprisals were unlawful and unworthy
of the Government and would not
achieve the object of restoring peace.
Deputy Corey. leader of the farmers.
created a scene when he declared that he
believed the Labor party's attack was
Intended to incite more murders, out
was forced to withdraw his remark.
Mulcahy. Kevin O'HiEgins. Minister
of Home Affairs; John Mcneil. Minis
ter of Education; Blythe and finally
Cosgrave replied to the attack, pleading
the law of military necessity.
| ct know full well that there Is a dia-
| bolical Mot of assassination afoot." de-
cIared Cosgrave. There is only one
way to meet II. and that is to crush It,"
The Cabinet Minister'S argued that the
very existence OF the Irish nation was
now at stake. McNeill asserted that
tho Government was obeying the ele-
mentary law that extreme necessity
| knows no limit. Mulcahy explained that
the new policy of the irregulars was
| 10 attack the Government at the point
az IT'S greatest vuluerabIlity and that
the army must take immediate drastic
| action II the lives OF the representa-
tIves OF the people were to be spared.
syyhile the existence Of this nation Is at
stake there is but one code to guide the
action of those responsible for the Gov
| ernment." declared O'Higgins. and that
is that the safety of the people is the
supreme law. Something vital has been
challenged-the majoriiys right to de-
eide political issues. Ireland must now
learn the lesson mankind learned In
blood and chaos long ago"
The reprisal undoubtedly has stag
gered public opinion in Dublin. Every
where people could be heard discussing
and weighing the expediency OF such
course. The main fear IL that the Irish
people may lose their sympathy for the
Government.
II the present Government brings Ire
land safely through the metamorphosis
and peace Is established In the next two
months there Is little doubt the verdict
Of the next election will be In favor OF
the Free State.
Despite yesterdays assassination the
Irregular forces are really crumpling UP.
O'Connor lost most of public respect
and whatever real influence he might
have bad when he left the -Four Courts
alive after months OF boasting.