New-York tribune., 1922-12-11
More Men Are Arrayed
Against Its Authority
Than Opposed England
in Black and Tan Regime
10000 Republicans
Are Held in Prison
Besieged Officials Fear
Death; Peace Outlook
Is Darker Than Ever
s,,o,oI ca,l. 10 IN. Trlbuns

DUBLIN, Dec. lO.-ihe FIcS
State government Of Ireland Is fight
ing for It's life.
Members Of the government virtu-
ally are besieged in their Offices,
while their supporters carry their
lives in their hands. The govern
ments action In executing four rebel
leaders in reprisal for the recent
shooting Of Sean Hales is only one
striking evidence Of how hard
pressed Free State leaders actually
are in their present situation.
Ten thousand republicans now are
in Irish prisons, the Minister for
Home Affairs has just stated, and
there are more men arrayed against
the ruling authorities in one county
to-day than were in arms against
England throughout all Ireland dur
ing the regime Of the Black and
Tans. Railroad communications
have been destroyed IN many areas
the collection Of taxes Is being inter
fered with and life and property
everywhere have become insecure.
See Only welter Of Blood
Men who never lost heart during ths
darkest days Of the struggle with
England are now beginning % despair
OF the Irish outcome. lhey see
nothing but a Wolter Of blood, a gen
eral destruction Of Irelands economic
life. a loosening Of moral bonds and
/ general process Of disintogratlon work
| inc itself out. The fact that the de-
struction OF life and property y pQng
I porDetratcd IN ne name % heedon,
makes the outlook for the future All
the blacker
Atfrst n was thought that thc irregu-
lars avowed challenge 20 toe authority
Of ordered government would obtain 20
I little support that 4 would soon COZ
lapse. but civil war has gone on IN lIs
7 land for nearly six months now ana
shows az little sign Of ending t9-ohy
when Il began. The clash OF IDEAS "
lending constant ygor and snstenAhes
/ 10 the ceaseless physical conniet
With the Free State govefnment no"
legally established under bIiusn .aN,
s"rtative government and the Will of
/ he people. De Valcra's republican
oovernment denies, however, that the
neonIe have ever rendered a yerdlct a.
to the merits Of the treaty and asserts
tb,t the Free State government - Az
other usurpation. Both goyefnmepts
bove large armed forces engaged ~
Jeadlv strife against the peoples reH
will while the peoples lives and sud
stance are being steadily Destroyer
Tecbnically the republican eonten-
tion Is true 10 this extent
tina treaty under which the Fres
s,atc oovernment has derived us
sn,boritv was excluded from the issues
on which the people declared them.
selves In the election Of last June ~
yiytue az the Coliins-Dc Valera pact
Had there been no such pact, howe.sI,
! n Ia scarcely open 20 question that tns
maioritv In Ireland would have east
their votes in favor Of the Free STATE
government
Ireland Bled White
cr,mth. Collins and their colleagues,
by seizing the reins Of goysLnmsns
| af,or last June's election Instead OF
foyming n coalition, interpreted the
wishes OF the electorate, pact or no
nact But would the voters N any
ease have declared for civil war That
seems extremely questionable % say
the least. But while a coalition "ouio
have nroyided for united action during
/ the Transition period In Ireland, peno-
inc ratification Of the treaty by ths
Brltish Parliament, the fact Is that the
Alternative policy has bled Ireland
white. both physically and cconoml'
/ callv leaving a legacy Of hatred be
/ tween former comrades which to-day
/. hitter beyond words. Thus Genes
the paradox that, while the majority OF
the people desire the treaty, they are
now beginning 20 ask II Il was no.
bought too dearly.
The general reaction 20 last week.
executions Is an evidence OF TINS ~
was a grave step for a government
suddenly 70 put 10 death without trial
four former colleagues. who for over
6ve months had been held IN jail Win
out any charge being lodged against
them. and Il was a step that - now DIS
approved by supporters Of the govern
nent in the Dali, ~ we'll ns By the press
and public generally. Every member
of The ministry defends these repriesi
executions as necessary 10 preserve the
lives Of the Cabinet members ana ac-
fend representative government. butit
lis vivid illustration Of the state 10
which affairs have come when the gov
crnment feels compelled TO resort 70
such action a. this in self defense. ~
Is ar illustration, an epltome, OF the
situation as II exists in Dublln to-day
SLOW in Rounding Up Rebels
In the provinces things appssr s 70
halter Skirmishes constantly are tax
Ing place throughout the country, with
every now and then a large-slzcd en-.
earement such as those AZ Cork and
Kerry last week. AZ ballymakeva,
County Cork, the Republicans cap
tured the barracks with ninety prison
ers. whom they released later. They
used an @gmored car In this battle,
which has since been captured BY Ma
tlonal troops. Kenmere, fairly large
town IN Kerry, has been held for weeks
by the Republicans and was only retaken
few days ago By Free State troops.
The National forces ar busy IN Ferj-
Gus areas rounding up ,ks rebels, bnt
La Is proving slow wort Tho Repub'l'