§ 55. Mr. DILLONasked the Secretary of State for War whether it is by his direction that the policy is being carried out of attempting to seize Irish prisoners interned in Great Britain for complicity in the recent insurrection in Ireland and compel them, under the Military Service Act, to join the British Army; and whether he has directed the trial by court-martial of Irish prisoners in the camp at Frongoch, on the charge of refusing to aid the military authorities to identify their comrades whom it was proposed to seize under the Military Service Act?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe first part of this question should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for 323 Home Affairs; in regard to the second part of the question, the answer is in the negative.
§ Mr. DILLONAm I to understand that the Secretary of State for Home Affairs is responsible for the policy of carrying out the Military Service Act? I may say that I put the question to that Department some days ago, and I was referred to the War Office.
§ Mr. FORSTERI think I am right in saying that the matters involved in the first part of the question are within the control of my right hon. Friend.
§ Mr. DILLONI think certainly not! I have had several cases of the kind. [HON. MEMBERS: "Order!"] It is a question of Order. I have, Mr. Speaker, been referred by the Home Office in all such cases to the War Office?
§ Mr. FORSTERI can assure my hon. Friend that I have not the slightest intention or wish to evade any responsibility that properly attaches to the War Office. I will have the question looked into again. If I find it is a matter for us, I will give my hon. Friend an answer.
Mr. SAMUELPerhaps I may be allowed to explain. So far as the question is concerned of releasing men now interned in order to engage in military service, it is a matter for the Home Office. So far as the question is concerned of recruiting certain classes of men for military service it is a matter for the War Office to decide who shall be called up. When they decide that, we decide whether the men shall be released.
§ Mr. DILLONThe question has nothing to do with the releasing of men; it has simply to do with the policy of calling up certain classes of men. Therefore it is a War Office question—I was told so.
§ 97. Mr. BYRNEasked how long the existing state of affairs at Frongoch Camp is to continue; if he is aware that the commandant is continuously making trouble for the Irish prisoners; if he is aware that Captain Colthurst was known to be unfit to control men when he was let loose on unarmed people in Dublin; and if he will now cause the commandant at Frongoch to be mentally examined and report on his suitability to be in charge of 570 unarmed men?
Mr. SAMUELI have nothing to add to the answers I have given in this House on several occasions to the hon. Member's questions on this matter.
§ Mr. BYRNEWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of the question—whether the commandant there is insane, and will he have him examined? Has the right hon. Gentleman no answer to that, and are our countrymen always to-be treated like slaves?
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYArising out of the right hon. Gentleman's reply—
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYCan the right hon. Gentleman not appoint a more humane officer over these men until they are released instead of this commandant?
§ Mr. BYRNEWill the right hon. Gentleman remove the Prussian Guard from these prisoners? Our countrymen are being tortured to death.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must give notice of that question.
§ 103. Mr. DILLONasked the Home Secretary under what provision of the law Irish political prisoners interned in Great Britain are being tried by court-martial for alleged offences against prison discipline?
Mr. SAMUELThey are tried, not by a court-martial, but by a disciplinary military Court, such as may be held under the Royal Warrant dealing with disciplinary matters in any internment camp. The authority for the punishments is furnished by the Royal Warrant for the maintenance of discipline, which is applied to these prisoners in pursuance of the powers conferred by the Defence of the Realm Regulation 14B.
§ Mr. DILLONMight I ask the right hon. Gentleman—this is a very serious matter—whether he is responsible for the proceedings which led up to this court martial, or this disciplinary Court, because the War Office declare that they have no responsibility?
Mr. SAMUELYes, I am generally responsible for the conduct of the camp. The commandant was appointed by the War Office.
§ Mr. P. MEEHANWhat is the exact difference between a court-martial and this disciplinary military Court?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question does not arise.
§ Mr. BYRNEWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether there is any man of the Captain Colthurst type on the court-martial?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question does not arise.
§ Sir W. BYLESWhy were we permitted to have a published report of the first day's proceedings and no report afterwards?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question does not arise.
§ Mr. SCANLANIs it not the fact that on Saturday and Monday a court-martial was held on certain prisoners in Frongoch Camp, and are those Courts held under the ordinary military law?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member can give notice of that question. It does not arise out of the one on the Paper.