Middletown transcript., 1922-02-18
IRELAND NEAR
/ C|v VII WAR
British Government Makes
Swift Military Preparations
COLLINS WARNS OF COUP
enIping And Rioting Rampant In Bel
fast-collins Warns Americans
Against Assisting Proposed
Coup d'Etat.

London.-The Irish situation since
the raids over the Ulster border has
steadily become worse and no secret is
made of the grave alarm with which it
Is viewed in official circles in London.
Winston Spencer Churchill, Secretary
for the Colonies, declared in the House
of Commons that the shooting of the
Ulster special constables at Clones had
greatly aggravated the situation. The
Evening Standard asserts that Ireland
Is on the brink of civil war and quotes
q member of the Cd ernment as saying
that while the government hesitates to
do anything which the Sim Feiners
could interpret as provocative, swift
military preparations have already
been made to prevent an armed in
vasion of Fermanagh and Tyrone.
In the light of the developments of
the last few days much significance Is
attached to the suspension of the evac-
uation of British troops from Southern
Irish ports. The Irish Office explains
that the suspension was ordered pend.
ing decision regarding the extent of
the reinforcements to be sent to
Ulster. Sir James Craig, Ulster
Premier, announced tonight that the
Ulster garrison of British troops was
to be increased from 10 battalions, the
previous number, to IA.
The weekend rioting in Belfast was
continued, the death roll being about
IL killed and 20 or more wounded. The
curfew was reimposed.. The shooting
affrays in Belfast during the last "a
hours occurred over a widely extended
area.
The gunner have kept we'll under
cover, and the police and soldiers
patrolling in armed cars are having
difficulty in locating them.
Sir James Craig, the Ulster Premier,
telegraphed to the British Govern
ment 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 provi-
Bional government, In a message to
the American Association for the Rec
ognition of the Irish Republic, charges
that a coup d'etat Is being planned
against the provisional government
and warns the association against as
eisting in any attempt to destroy the
new government.
Mr.. Collins informed the association
that the alternative to the treaty is
renewal of the warfare, and declared
that the Provisional Government
wanted the people themselves to de-
eide the issue, adding that If they de-
cided for war there need not be any
doubt as to where he would stand
Collins has received message from
Chicago which says:
AT a meeting of the presidents of
16 councils in the Second Congress
eional district, representing over Is, 900
members, expression of opinion was
unanimous for majority rule in Ire.
land as in the United States and for
the support only Of a government
which received the sanction of the
Irish people"
Mr.. Collins received another mes.
sage from Chicago saying that the
Michael O'Hanrahan Council Of the
American Association for the Recog.
milton of the Irish Republic. with a
membership cf more than 5000, greets
him and pledges support for the gov
ernment csoscn by the Irish people.