Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-02-14
NLOSDON MICH ALARMED
OVER iHIsH SITUATION
tBy Associated press.l


LONDON. Feb. I3.-The Irish .itua J.
tton since the raids over the Ulster
border has steadily become worse. and
no}secrct is made of the, grave alarm
with which. It Is viewed In oficial
circles in London. Winston Spen-
Ger Churchill. Secretary OF the Col
cnies. declared In the House OF Com
mons today that the shooting OF the
/. Ulster special constables at Clones
shas greatly aggravated the situation.
Tho Evening Standard INSERTS that
Ireland Is on the brink OF civil war
and quotes a member of the govern
ment ns saying that while the gov
crnment hesitates to do anything
which tie Sim Feiners could inter-
pret az provocative, swift military
preparations have already been made
TO prevent an armed invasion OF
Fermanash and Tyrone
z Evacuation Suspended.
In tho light of the Developments
OF the last few days much Significance
Is attached To the Suspension today of
the evacuation OF the British troops
from Southern Irish ports. The Irish
office explains that the suspension
was ordered pending decision re-
Sarding the extent OF the re-enforce-
ments TO be sent to Ulster. Sir James
Craig. Ulster Premier, announced to-
night that the Ulster garrison OF
ABritish troops was TO he increased
from ten battalions, the previous
number, to fourteen.
The weekend rioting in Belfast
was continued today, the death roll
from Saturday being about twelve
killed and twenty or more wounded.
The curfew was reimposed tonight.
The shooting ARRAYS in Belfast dur.
ing the last twenty-four hours occur
red over widely extended area.
Gunmen Well Under Cover.
The sunmcn have Kept well under
.rcover. and the police and soldiers pa :
trolling in armed cars are having
difficulty In locating them
Sir James Craig. the Ulster Pre-
mier, tclegraphed the British govern
ment tonight asking what action.
other than dispatching messages to
Dublin" the government was taking
or had taken to secure the return OF
the kidnapped loyalists.
Michael Collins. head of the pro-
-Sisional government. in message TO
the American Association for the
Recognition OF the Irish Republic.
charges that coup d'etat Is being
planned against the provisional gov
ernment and warns the association
against assisting in any attempt to
destroy the new government.
N41I t..f
tion that the alternative to the
treaty Is renewal of the warfare, and
declared that the provisional govern
's1nent wanted the people themselves
to decide the Issue. adding that IL
they decided for war there need not
4 be any doubt as to where he would
stand.
Z Liberate Seventeen Prfsonern.
In conformity with the decision to
release Irish political prisoners in
England, the government liberated
seventeen this afternoon, and the re-
lease OF the others Is expected to
follow shortly. Hilarious scenes were
witnessed at the Pcterhead railway
STATION when those released today
-4boarded the train. They had heen
5sserying terms varying from three 70
ten years penal servitude, most M
them having been found in nosses.
sion OF arms in Scotland. Thev snnr
The Soldiers Song" as the train de- !.
parted.
Disorders In Southern Ireland also
continue. Two daring bank rob
berries occurred today at Slipo
Eight men drove up in an automobile
TO Sthe Bank OF Ireland, held up tn.
!. eiffpleyea and escaped with about
$1,000. About the same Y tima the
Proyinclal Bank was raided I ana
Srobbed OF $4,000. y'sss,