Norwich bulletin., 1922-12-09

mittee, and that they might end in their being no need for such election. He moved suspension of the standing orders to allow the matter to be debated, but President Cosgraye objected, a division was taken, and the labor motion was re- 1ected by a vote of 34 to 14. ! Mfr. Johnson then gave formal notice that he would raise the question later, | declaring it needed urgent attention, and the laborites withdrew their nominations for the committee to appoint ministers so that 1t would not be representive of all parties, as prescribed by the consti- tuition. To this move President Cosgrave replied that the election would proceed as scheduled, and that If any of the members neglected their duty it was their own affair.
 MT. Johnson found opportunity to make the labor position clear at adjournment He strongly denounced the government for indulging in reprisal executions and I pointed out that the men executed had never been given trial, being confined in prison for an offense dating back to last July. The fact that they had been in- they could not have been engaged in any conspiracy as alleged by the govern ment; in fact any other four prisoners might as well have been taken out and shot
 Had the government no regard, he asked, for the good name of the Irish T State or for the honor. of Ireland that they should make their first act one tc destroy in the public mind the associa- Hk He was almost forced to say that the government had killed the new state al It's birth.
 George Gavan Duffy seconded Mir Johnson's protest, asking: When is this Corsican vendetta to endF' He declared , the ministers seemed to forget that they were a government and that all forms ] of. vengeance should cease. Minister of Defense Mulcahy, replying said the men had not been executed be, cause of the assassination of a mar whom the government honored (Seen Hales) but because they were forcel . working around them more vicious anC . insidious than Great Britain had evel employed against representative gov : ernnent in Ireland.
 The government was conducted by about ninety men and was most vulnera ble if it tolerated an armed band in tent simply upon the assassination O
 every member of parliament. The arm. council therefore had recommended tn ) drastic action which was carried ou
 
 l i but as a deterrent.
 They had not executed men unre tsponsible for the policy which facet
 them; the speaker of the Dail had beel threatened by the leader of the de struction forces, and the assassination of their members had already begun I General Mulcahy's speech was loudly T lapplauded.
 ei Cathal O'Shannon followed with a SC n were indictment of the government II h declared the executions would shock tn # conscience of the world; they wer Inothing short of murders, and the whoi d affair proved the incompetence of tn : government. = y The debate was continued by Der }, uty John Milroy and Keyin O'Higgini minister of home affaires.
 The latter stated that the execution
 were coldly and deliberately decided UT ..iDn by the government as necessar, 2 both as punishment and a deterrent Wa di was anarchy. and the law was inapplics ? ble in such cases.
 l. i-jssAfen with dolls house" minds wel a out of place in this crisis. He had nc + observed similar indignations when, M ' chael Collins was killed. Eamonn D F Valera, who claimed to be president ha
 no army save . body of men who ha e- tdegenerated into Apaches. The gol Il ernor- general, he said, did not come int ! the question while state of war exisi n ed. The cabinet stood by the army cour ell in the step taken.