The Washington times., 1922-09-08

THE only great lesson which the
Irish people might have learned from
the results of our fight In the three
years from 1919 to 1921 seems to be
forgotten today. That lesson was
the unbeatable essence Of unity.
Under the Black and Tan terror We
were. a united people, and we
smashed the Black and Tans. Are
we so blind we will not see the truth !"
Must we have the enemy on our
backs before we will work together
for the common cause Of Ireland?
Collins was continuing his narrative
Of the gradual approach OF Irish vic.
tory over the British secret service,
and began on this occasion by refer.
ring to existing conditions.
One of our great concerns during
the earlier stages OF the fight against
the Black and Tans." Collins contin.
ued, was to keep the national spirit
at the highest pitch possible. The
Irish Republican army by this time
had grown to be a national institu.
| ton. There was not a village in
Southern ireland without its contin.
gent. Maintaining a high morale
| among these potential soldiers went
long way toward insuring good
morale among the civilian popula
| ton. Best of all, II served to keep
before us all the thought that We
were a united people.
Among the instruments we used
to this end was ant'Oglac, a minia.
ture newspaper published every weeI
during the terror by the Irish Re.
publican army. nt'Oglac-GaelIr
for the volunteer--was devoted to
the education Of the young soldiers
in military matters and to strength
ening their morale fiber.
Refuse To Be Gagged.
While a British army Of 10000
and half as many more Black and
Tans and police left no stone un.
turned in their determined efforts
to crush the publication-the little
four-page sheet was in the hands Of
each soldier Of the republic every
week as regularly as clook work.
1T has been said the greatest en-.
deavors were put, forth to effect my
capture, but l am sure equal graft
fication would have followed the de.
struction Of our national organ
The fact that not once in three wears
was a single consignment of the
papers ever found by the British is to
my way of thinking one Of the most
striking proofs of the efficiency of
the intelligence staff Of the I. r. A.
"Ant'Oglac was printed In n
building less than 100 yards distant
from O'Connell street, Dublin's main
Pearce Beasley. editor Of the paper.
had his offices. The Black and Tans
knew-or II they didn't they at least
had reason to believe-that Beasley
was the active brains behind ant
'Oglac. Furthermore, they knew
that his headquarters were in the
building mentioned.
"A remarkable character Beasley:
his pluck in covering a rear guard
action in the Easter week rebellion
earned him the rank Of general com.
mandant. A journalist by protss-
sion and an able writer in the Eng.
lish and Gaelic, he Is today one OF
the most dependable men working
in Ireland's cause. Beasley was one
of the men who escaped from Man.
chester jail-when Austin Stack and
Two others also escaped. lad
heard a great deal about this escape
and pressed Collins for the whole
story, but he firmly refused.
There would be no way, he
protested, "of keeping II from being
too much like self-glorification. It's
for others to tell" wherefore
learned the details from Beasley
himself. It IL worth setting them
down here. 1t was altogether the
most remarkable OF all the hair
raising exploits in which Collins was
prime mover. Manchester jail 10
situated in the heart OF the great
English cotton town. On all four
sides are we'll lighted streets. Po.
lice patrol these streets day and
night. with the important Irish
leaders in the jail the guard was
unusually alert.
How Beasley Escaped.
"on Saturday evening. however.
when Manchester was at It's busiest,
Collins arrived on the scene. At a
given moment the place was sur.
rounded by men armed with re-
volvers-a whistle was blown-and
in less than sixty seconds Beasley
and his comrades were at liberty.
The escape had been planned with
all of Collins usual skill. From
start to finish there was not a
single hitch. A master key of the
cell doors had been smuggled into
the prison In a cake, and word
passed to Beasley to be prepared
at a certain hour to go to a corner
Of the prison yard where on a
moonless night. the shadows were
deepest. That was the only in
strument sent to Beasley. The
other prisoners concerned in the
escape were each notified separate.
ly. And 50 II was the quartette Of
Irishmen found themselves at the
appointed piace-inside the prison
wall and then
"A rope ladder was suddenly
thrown over to them. Up this they
clamored and down another-at the
bottom of which were Collins and
his aides.
Ten seconds later a high powered
motor car was speeding them away
to Irish friends In various parts OF
Manchester. As they were all
much.wanted men, their escape was
especially exasperating TO the Brit.