New-York tribune., 1922-02-09
New Conflict Threatened
by Killing of 2, Wound
ing of IS and Seizure Of
Many Unionist Chiefs
ReprisaIs Against
Sim Fein Feared
Craig, Blaming Britain
for Outbreak. Declares
Northern Government
VIII Yield No Territory
BY Arthur S. Draper

From, The 1rib.1c's E.~opea~ By~erx
Copyright. 1929. Me- Tocl. lr.bune In.
LONDON, Feb. S.-Armed conflict
threatens on the Ulster border to
night az the result Of invasion Of
frontier counties early to-day By
raiding bands from South Ireland
The hostile groups. operating ir
automobiles. kidnapped several hun
dred leading Union;sts and seized
nearly hundred corstabes after
several fights with the police. The
captjves were carried across the bor-
der into South Ireland.
The Belfast Cabinet issued mani.
festo tonight declaring the British
government was responsible for the
disorders because guard troops had
been withdrawn. Sir James Craig.
northern Premier, Immediately au~
thorized the armed protection of the
frontier and demanded the immedi-
ate release Of the captives. Special
Orange reserves were called out in
the north during the day to aid the
local police in fighting the kidnapers
The London Cabinet. meanwhile,
faced by violent attacks from Ulster
members in the House OF Commons,
Immediately tclegraphcd Michael Col
Inns. head Of the Free State govern
ment, demanding that he assist in oo~
tanning the restoration Of the caDtives
to their homes. The Lloyd George
government also notified the com
lnaudcr os Tie remaining British troops
reland to proceed Immediately 70
+ INC Ulster frontier and maintain il
until further notice. The commander
was instructed to support the northern
Cabinet in its demand for protection.
Collins DcpIores Outbreak
Jo-6ay's sweeping violation OF ths
truce in Ireland. the first b eak toward
general hostilities in many months
Nas deplored by Collins in a stateme-r
issued in Dublin. but he EXPLAINED ths
outbreak was not unexpected.
at was what had feared-wh.t any
sensible person might have expected
he said. "Qu;te naturally, the reo",e
whose feelings were outraged by TIL
other action"
Collins's reference to "the imrend
ing executions" cleared up the m, 'e~s
surrounding the motive fer the ki! :
nappings which prevailed in London to
day Three men have been in jail i
Londonderry, sentenced 70 die to-mor
row for killing two Ulster police IN a.
attempt to rescue 4 grouH of poll.icH
prisoners N another Ulster jail two
months ago. The general amnest
granted by King George after the Iris
treaty was signed did not apply to th;l
trio.
Late last night reprieve WAS Grant
ed TO these prisoners, but word of tt
,ommutation of their sentences to lon
terms of impris Npparcntl" hat
rot reached the raiding gangs befor
they began operations. late to- day
when the raiders learned that the re
prieve had been granted. the returrei
some of the captives to their homes
and the Dublin aut horitics promised to
push the work OF restoration.
Two Killed. Fifteen Wounded
But Ulster is in no mood for concila-
ton Considerable damage was done
to property. at least two men were
killed and fifteen wounded in the MAN.
lights. and many buildings we're burned
throughout the border counties. Fear
is expressed here tonight that whole
sale reprisals may result. for thu
Ulstertes captured twoscore of the
raiders in different clashes and found
some of them wearing uniforms OF the
Irish republican army. i is known
that many of the raiders were Siur
Feiners opposed to the Irish Free
State, and their act is regarded as ex-
tremely embarrassing to the Griff tn
Collins government.
Lord Chancellor Birkennead. answer
ing bitter attack II the House OF
Lords by Lord Carson, expressed the
conviction Of the British covernmen,
that the Free State government was
in no way responsible for the raids
In the House Of Commons, Austen
Chamberlain, government spoke sman
: was under fire of questions from
Obstetrics led by Captain Charles
: Craig, brother OF the Be fast Premier
: but lodged many of the inquiries The
question whether Uistermen had 8
J right to ask the government for as
= sistance in protecting themselves
. against "the perpetrators Of these out
RACES. who have retired out of the
8 jurisdiction of the northern Parlia-
ment into the Free State" was ruled
: out by the Speaker Mr.. Chamberlail
cIeU thiS iiiU4iCNlts '"tSi ". OIL
. nouncing the steps taken by tho Gov
: ernment to meet the emergency. The
government spokesman also empha
sized the urgency of immediate actio.
> on bill giving The treaty statutory
a effect in order to give the Free Stats
q government authority to prevent such
y outrages.
}. Hundreds Seized by Raiders
= The raid in Ulster covered all ths
l. controversial counties, especially Ty
n rome, Fermanagh, Donegal and Non
aghan. A partial list compiled toni, n
) shows that two hundred or more cap
9 tives were taken by the raiders il
y Fermanagn and Tyrone. and smalle
: numbers in other counties. Only il
two or three places were the surprise,
Ulstermen able to offer amy effectiy'
.. resistance TO the onslaught, alth sugl
,. thirteen raiders were arrested at En-
niskillen and fifteen more in South Ty
rome. The estimates of the number 0
n men engaged in the raids vary frey
-. 500 to 1000.