The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-03-31
IN
IRELAND DEFY
FREE sTATERs
strike to ehstter Agreement Of Col.
iIns and Craig for Border Pssos;
Disorders Continue In Dublin
and Other Places.
ROYAL ASSENT GIVEN TO
SETTLEMENT MEASURE
Civil War Threat Alone stands In
Way Of Peace for ireland; De-
Valera and Followers 10 Fight
In Coming Elections.

Dublin. March 3i.--lrish extremists
struck TO shatter the peace agree.
mcnt today.
Word OF the compact signed last
night In London by Sir James Craig
for Ulster and Michael Collins for
the southern provisional government
had scarcely reached Ireland before
outrages broke out anew.
Constabulary patrol was attacked
by gunmen In Belfast early today and
one policeman killed and another
wounded. IncendIary fires broke out
in various parts of the city. A bomb
was hurled into group Of firemen.
In street battle. two constables
and two civilians were injured.
The peace agreement signed by
Craig and Collins required the north
ern government to restrain unionist
murder gangs apparently bent on
wining out Belfast's Catholic popu-
lation while Collins promised that
the activities OF Irish republican
army extremists should be curbed.
As II to defy Collins authority to
promise this, republican extremists
threatened to seize the city hall In
Dublin and even to capture headquar-
ters of the free state provisional gov
ernment. Free state leaders here
we're apprehensive OF a coup-d-etat
today as the De Valeraites' answer
TO the signing Of the peace compact
In Lon IN. and the principal build
ings of Dublin we're heavily guarded.
At Queenstown republicans seized
a tug and steamed off but were pur-
sued and brought back by a British
destroyer.
BY ED l.. KEEN.
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent
London. March 31.-The Irish Free
State came into being today.
King George gave his royal assent
to the bill creating the Free State.
The house of lords approved the ac-
tion of the house OF commons In
ratifying the peace treaty signed at
Downing Street by Irish ENJOYS and
the government and the establish
ment of Ireland as free state with
ing the British commonwealth was
formally effected
Nothing now stands In the way
of all Ireland, outside of the six
counties of Ulster. becoming one Oh
the nations of the world save the
threat of civil war intensified today
by the followers of Eamon De Va
lera. The Irish Free State, brought
into existence by the royal sigma
ture today must hold elections OF
its first officers and parliament.
De Valera, deposed president" OF
the Republic and his followers are
determined that this shall not hap
pen. They will fight the election
at the polls, seeking to elect candi-
dates who will then refuse to take
their seats.
De Valeras opposition Is not con-
fined to politics. There is q revolt
in the part of the Irish Republican
army which was to have served the
Free State. Republican extremists
are threatening to seize buildings In
Dublin and to upset the provisional
Murder and outrage
are rife in the south Of Ireland.
The provisional government, head
ed by Michael Collins, has signed
peace with Ulster. This will be ef-
fective and binding upon the Irish
Free State.
The peace agreement signed here
last night. was hailed today by Brit
ish and Irish newspapers and lead
ers as the greatest step forward to-
wards Irish unity yet taken.
"The value of the peace agree
ment cannot be overestimated,
Winston Churchill, who presided at
the Irish conference, declared In the
house of commons today.
The Ulster government, Churchill
declared, was doing its utmost to
pacify extremists in Belfast, while
southern provisional leaders would
spare no efforts to get Republican
agitators in line. The peace COM
pact, he said called for recognition
Of the courts in Ulster and disband-
ing of Irish Republican army ex-
tremists.
The British government, Churchill
said would consent to no alteration
of the Irish treaty, however small.
He warned the house that q "long
weary period of anxiety, filled with
difficulties and discouragements lies
ahead