The New York herald., 1922-03-21
irish BORDER FIGHTS
MENACE FREE STATE
South Tries to Restrain Sol
diers, but Ulster Won't
Hear Complaints.
NORTH FEARS RAIDS
Sir Henry Wilson Accused
Of EndeayOring to Pro-
yoke a Conflict.
scoURGING TO BE SIGNAL
If Only Catholics Suffer Re-
publican Army Will Cross
the Frontier.
sCoURGING TO BE SIGNAL

opeCtut CQOtc 10 HE NEW 1CAh fiGhAlD.
Copyright. 1929, bp TIE New YORK HERALD.
CLONES, County Monaghan, March
20.-The situation here can be likened
to powder barrel with the people
throwing lighted matches around. An
explosion might seem almost inevita-
bic. The cooler heads on both sides
of the Ulster-South Irish border say
that they hope 1t will not occur.
But even the cooler heads in the
south find it difficult to restrain the
young men when they themselves be-
lieve that the cooler heads in the
north. in refusing even to investigate
the complaints against the e>Ulster spe-
cial constabulary, are deliberately
trying to provide border raid of such
size as to result in civil war, with the
British Government necessarily against
taking any part which would send the
whole fabric of tho Irish settlement
crashing.
THE NEW York HERALD correspondent
had the coed fortune to meet the Eng
lish delegate to tho mixed frontier COM
mission, Col. Montagu Bates, under
whom ne had served In Salonica. Col.
Bates had a long experience in South
Africa and after peace was established
there saw long service in Canada.
Hence he has the breezy colonial man
ner and comes to Ireland without being
subject to the all too frequent army
prejudices.
More Difficult Than wnr.
TIc is quite impartial to the religious
and racial issues dividing Ulster from
the rest of Ireland. His business now
is diplomatic and pacifc--an effort to
persuade the northerners and southern
ers not to fight and to settle anIicably
the difficulties which are arising every
day. With the bitterness that is raging
here he says that II Is the most difficult
task OF his whole life.
Two days ago, for example, a bomb
was thrown by specials among southern 4
sympathizers, three Of whom were
wounded, but on the matter being
brought before the frontier commission
(1k northern representative denied the
cts and blamed the Sim Fciners for
wing thrown the bomb. The policy of
(ust denial is always followed I'm
ter. No matter how Overwhelming
evidence against their own specials
they always insist on investigating
case themselves and refusing to
any but Ulster evidence.
ol. Vernon, the Ulster delegate on
border commission. says he has no
enipotentiary powers and must refer
II complaints to Belfast. And Belfast
yieaer answers. Col Commandant Ward
of the Irish Republican army bitterly
complains of this situation, pointing out
| that he as a plenipotentiary can and
does settle complaints on the spot. He
Ahears the evidence OF friend and foe
Hike and shows no leniency toward his
bwn supporters IL he finds them in the
wrong.
The other day, the Ulster officials
complained that an Ulster Protestant
woman living in the southern area had
received threatening letter from a
Sim Teiner ordering her to leave the
district. Col. Ward Immediately ordered
the mans arrest and on the production
of the letter sentenced the man to a
long term of imprisonment. The woman
remains in County Monaghan undis-
furbed and no others are likely to
threaten her. AS a matter of fact the
I'rotestants generally are not interfered
with here. Even the members of the
safety. admitting that they are treated
not only with justice, but with
courtesy.
The specials have erected barrcades
and dug trenches along most roads
crossing the frontier and they are so
''jumpy' that II Is dangerous to reach
them in an automobile. One OF the big
gest bakeries in Clones has been obliged
10 discontinue sending bread to its GUS
toners over the border because the wag-
ons were continually fired on. Ono of
the drivers was seriously wounded.
on tho other hand the vehicles Of
Orange tradesmen from Pc.tadown and
other Ulster towns freely circulate in
Clones and at least once week swarrs
OF Belfast drumntrs visit Clones mer-
chants. Yesterday morning at the III
bernian hotel which a Sim Feiner
owns and which Is tho residence OF
Capt. O'Donough. second In command OF
the Irish Republican army garrison. the
correspondent heard an Orange CONNER
cial traveller expomndng his political
views loudly and extensively without
anyone molcstinS him. 1t would cost
the life of Sim Feincr to preach his
own creed en- the other side of the
border.
Call Free ststcrs Rebels.
In short. Orangcmen are calling thsm-
selves 'loySltSfS' and refuSe 40 subject
themselves to the same laws as the Free
Staters whom they insist on calling
rebels" Under the circumstances the
border negotia lions rcspractically in
deadlock -
The Irish Republican army rs cnraged
over the events across the border. chief
Of which are the disorders at Belfast
The Orangemen, outnumber ours foIr
10 one In Belfast, say the young 7. r..
AS. ut isn't our people that arc keep
ing Belfast boiling"
Tho Irish Republican army members
are so disturbed over the appointment OF
Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson to
Ulster forces that they arc saying his
rsbid Orangeism has made him impos-
sible at the War office and that he is
responsible for tho entire Black and
Tan policy In the south and, therefore,
for all the burning and shooting and
other reprisals OF twelve bloody months.
They say II Is he who now proposes to
add the degradation OF scourging to long
sentences at penal servltude for carry.
inr firearms and add that his lash will
7-e<er fall on an Orange back
~~rhen tho EcourrinE begins only the
s---+i-rrn Catholics suffer thu irish Re.
Jublican army from Cavan to Monaghan
sSill certainly cross the border and