San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-23
Abolishes Levies by Brit
ish Government or Its
Agent the Free State"
MAY BE ONLY BLUFF
But Followers Show Vio-
lent Methods in Enforc-
ing His Manifestos.
BY WILLIAM II. BRAYDEN.
Special Cable to The San Antonio Light
v and the Chicago Daily News.
1922

and the Chicago Daily News.
Copyright. 1928.
Dublin, Feb. 23.-Eamon DeValera
issued today formal decree on behalf
OF his so-called government declaring
oppressive all taxes "levied in ireland
By the British government or its crea-
lures and agents, the Free State gov
eminent"
The decree abolishes all taxes, which
have been paid surprisingly well here
tofore. 1t also orders the suspension
of all land purchases, annuity pay
ments and imposes details of taxation
payable to the Republican government
including drink taxes, state taxes and
property taxes. Penalties of seizure
are threatened for disobedience.
The Free State has been engaged on
a bill strengthening the powers of the
sheriffs to enforce payment of debts
including Free State taxes, hence the
Republican counter move. The tax
payer who obeys either government
must risk the hostility of the other and
nobody is willing to pay taxes to both.
1t is easy TO represent DeNalera's pro-
nouncement as bluff, but his followers
have shown prompt and violet meth
dds for enforcing his DEGREES. The ter
mination of this conflict by the victory
of the Free State is the task of the
army which is confident of success.
Free State RepudiateS Violence.
; 1t has many critics, sc lie saying
that it errs by over-severity and some
By over-leniency. Some supporters of
the government holding the latter view
have sought I supplement its punish
ments by unofficial reprisals of which
the most. serious example was the
wrecking o.. the hous, of Mrs. Kemp
whose son vas executed in Easter
week as retaliation for bombing the
house of member of Parliament. The
Free State government has issued an
linreserved condemnation of property
destruction and repudiated any au-
thority for or sympathy with such out
RACES whatever their motive.
The government continues optimistic
and announces each day surrenders or
captures of irregulars. Parliament is
carving on in a calm atmosphere and
while the military in the streets were
rounding suspects and searching all
pedestrians after the Dame street
fight the Dali was debating and
uassed by 81 to l. votes a bill au-
thorizing a hospital committee to pro-
mote sweepstakes on horse racing. Inc
house was left TO vote freely and min
listers we're found on each side. The
labor party helped to swell the ma
jOrity.
Dublin was settling down in the be-
lief that tr.uble was waning when a
hold coun of the irregulars threw the
center of the city into turmoil. Men
flourishing revolvers rushed through
Graften street. fashionable thorough
fare. while the people were leaving the
restaurants after lunch. The men had
fled from an unsuccessful attack on
the government office in Dame street
near the Bank Of Ireland while their
comrades kept up rear guard action
and were peppered by government
troops.
Attack Income Tax Offices.
Two boys at n corner kept firing on
the troops with autOmatics while
snipers operated from the roofs. The
troops speedily dispersed their assail-
ants and the streets, emptied of ter
rified citizens, were soon refilled. All
the time the electric street ears were
running as usual. The chief ObJec-
tiye Of the irregulars was hotel now
occupied by government officials, espe-
cially engaged on assessment work
and the collection of the income tax,
but the carried out simultaneously
similar attacks on two other widely
separated income tax offices in the
city.
The idea was to fire the building
and destroy the tax papers, thus Grip
pling the GO eminent in its revenue.
This was a familiar move in the fight
against the British when numerous
tax offices all over the country were
harmed. 1t was attempted in pur--
snance Of the Republican policy OF
treating the Free State government
as British agents and endeayoring to
obstruct its administration.