Evening star., 1922-04-04
BY FORREST DAVIS.

L
CLONMEL, Ireland, February 2s.-
Before the rising of 1916. the royal
Irish constabulary was one of Ire
lsnd's prides. 1t enrolled $4,000 men,
all Irish, sons Of farmers and trades
men; an efficient, outstanding set Of
men.
| The constables were scattered
throughout the island, in cities, town
and village barracks, and. in some
isolated districts, in lonely country
strongholds. These men were mar
rted, for the most part, and were
sober. substantial elements of the
communities which supported them.
They were under strict discipline,
and had a tradition of eighty years
OF Observation-Disclosures and integ-
rity. To their training station at Beg
police authorities from all over the
world to study r. I. c. methods.
IT was a point of honor among the
old constables to accept no presents
or favors. If they entered a public
l house for a drink, they insisted on
! treating, turn about. Bribery and
y corruption were practically unknown
among them.
With the Easter week rebellion.
however. the. lot of the R. l. c.
fcnanged. for the castle government
strument of the r. I. C. as the readi-
est with which to put it down. Be
fore he had been the foe of crime and
evil.doers, the guardian of the people.
with the attack on the Dublin post
once he became the eiemy of the re-
beiiious patriots, and. as the people
were mainly with the volunteer re-
publican forces, the populace came
to look upon him as an agent Of Brit
ish oppression. To no other con-
\ siderable body of Irishmen was the
In
= Most Of Constables Stayed.
Some of the constables resigned
rather than turn their weapons ON
their own people. Others. and the
great majority, stayed on. Included
In this latter group was District In
spector T. P. Murnane of the southern
| Tipperary district, with headquarters
ID. L. in Ireland"
Murnane was born in Dublin about
| thirty-five years ago, when his father
was attached to the r. !. C. barracks
there. He was born in the constabu-
larry and has been in it actively for
ried. doing well in the service, and
liked being a policeman when "the
trouble" began. He remained in the
tconstabulary. preserved order in his
him from England-for the r. 1. c.
was heavily reinforced-and kept his
men from committing depredations or
onenses against the people.
AS a result Of his conduct ID. t.
Murnane Is a popular figure in Clon-
NELL, and Clonmell has been the most
uncompromisingiy republican center
In Ireland. The Irish republican army
leaders here have proclaimed their
separateness from the provisional
government, and have been in an
academic state of anarchy.
l met Murnane in Clonmel's leading
cinema palace, pretentious theater
| which boasts an orchestra, and every
night shows Clonmellians the newest
| thing in celluloid from Hollywood
Calf. He was sitting with his wife
In the top row of the balcony. which
Is the swagger section of Irish picture
places.
Never 4 Jeer Greets Murnane.
i!SI went to the pictures every night
during the trouble" he told me aft
erward. when my wife was here she
walked to and from the theater with
me. While she was away for five
months in England. came and went
alone. / went about everywhere as I
wished. and never was molested or
jeered at
sized Individual. seif-contained in
bearing and capable of expressing
himself in faultless English. He ex-
poets to be retained in the constabu-
larry which will be set up by the Free
State.
II understand the Free State lead
ers intend to retain such younger
members of the old r. l. c. as did
not make themselves obnoxious to
the people, and who have good
records. as q nucleus for the new
police force. Men who, have been in
the service twenty, twenty-five and
more years will be pensioned, as will
all others who are mustered out
said Murnane.
'The new police force will need the
experience OF some veteran con-
stables. You cannot make an ef1l-
cient policeman in a day OF month,
you know, and the Free State lead
ers recognize that. Many county
and district inspectors are. cooper
ating now with Minister of Defense
Mulcahy. furnishing him informa-
tion, particularly in parts where
the republican soldiers and police do
=! not recognize him."
CONFIDENT In New Force.
Murnane is confident the Free State
forces will be able to insure a fair
election and. set up'order Immediately
thereafter.
"They are setting up authority to
preserve order in rapid fashion," he
| YTYvY