45. Major BARNESasked the Prime Minister if, following the precedents of the Hunter and Milner Commissions, a Commission will later proceed to Ireland to inquire into the nature, causes, and extent of the outrages and reprisals committed there?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI can add nothing to the statements made by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House in the course of the Debate last Wednesday.
Major BARNESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that statements were made with regard to specific points, and that all the statements were pressing for an immediate inquiry?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThere was a very full opportunity afforded. The Debate extended over a whole evening, and I think the whole ground was covered
§ Mr. T. P. O'CONNOR(by Private Notice) asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland
- (1) whether, in view of the statements of the English correspondents in Ireland of responsible English journals that they themselves saw convincing evidence of the wounding and the flogging of men in the villages in the
1327 West of Ireland by officers of the Crown, the right hon. Gentleman persists in the denial that such outrages have occurred; - (2) whether since the last speech of the Chief Secretary incendiary fires and indiscriminate shootings have taken place at Dublin, Athlone and Bandon, and whether, as a result, inquiry has been made into these outrages;
- (3) whether the attention of the Chief Secretary has been called to the passage in a speech of Governor Cox, a candidate for the Presidency of the United States, denouncing the policy of frightfulness in Ireland, including the burning of villages and the throwing of old women and men out of their houses, as comparable to the policy of the Turkish authorities in Armenia, and whether, in view of the horror which these transactions in Ireland are creating in America and the entire world, the Chief Secretary will announce the determination of the Government to put an immediate end to this policy of frightfulness?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI only received this question and the question of the hon. Member for the Falls Division (Mr. Devlin) at a quarter to two. I respectfully ask hon. Members who put down Private Notice questions to give me a little more time.
§ Mr. O'CONNORI regret the notice was so short. As a matter of fact, I sent my private notice question at one o'clock.
§ Mr. DEVLINDid you not see it in this morning's papers? It could have been read there!
§ Sir H. GREENWOODNaturally I desire to give the latest official information that I can to hon. and right hon. Gentlemen who ask for it, but it is necessary usually to communicate with Dublin Castle, and it may be other Government Departments in different parts of Ireland, and it is very difficult to do this within three hours. I have, however, with the desire, but not with the hope, of making a satisfactory reply, drawn up this answer: I have no convincing evidence of the flogging and wounding of several men in the West of Ireland. I have no knowledge of incendiary fires and indiscriminate shootings in Dublin, Athlone, and Bandon, but I am making inquiries. I have seen the 1328 report of the speech alleged to have been made by Governor Cox, and he obviously obtained his information from those hostile to the British Empire and to Anglo-American friendship. I believe the world is horrified at the murders of policemen and soldiers in Ireland, and I do not believe the world accepts the malignant untruths suggested in the question. The hon. Gentleman and the House will share with me the regret at the murder of two soldiers of the Essex Regiment, and the wounding of six more soldiers of the same regiment, in an ambush near Bandon on the 22nd instant.
§ Mr. DEVLINDoes the right hon. Gentleman assert that the representatives of the "Manchester Guardian," the "Times," and other English newspapers are enemies of the British Empire?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI do not say it, and I do not assert it.
§ Mr. DEVLINMay I ask if the right hon. Gentleman is aware that clear, precise, and specific charges of this character have been made by these English representatives of the great English journals and they have been published in this country: therefore, if he states that all who make these charges are enemies of the British Empire, does he declare that these gentlemen are enemies of the British Empire?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI have answered that.
§ Mr. DEVLIN (by Private Notice)asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the announcement is authoritative that the Government intend to employ as special constables in the North of Ireland members of the Ulster Volunteers, and whether during the recent disturbances in Belfast one of these special constables was convicted of looting a Catholic house; whether at Lisburn 300 special constables have already resigned their positions because a number of their colleagues have been convicted of looting Catholic houses: whether this scheme has been undertaken by the Government, to arm the men who organised and carried out the pogrom against Belfast Catholic workmen, and who have expelled 4,000 Catholic workmen from their employment; whether Parliament will be given an opportunity of discussing this organised conspiracy to place the lives, liberties, and property of 500,000 1329 Catholics at the mercy of their political opponents armed by the British Government?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODAs has already been announced, the Government has decided to enroll well-disposed citizens in the special constabulary to assist the police in the preservation of peace. The enrolment is not confined to Ulster. It is true that three special constables have been committed for trial at Belfast on charges of looting, two being now on bail and one in custody. The strictest discipline, which is characteristic of the Royal Irish Constabulary, which this special constabulary is to assist, and under which it has to serve, will be carried out in the case of the special constabulary. It is true that some hundred special constables in Lisburn threatened to resign as the result of the charge against the three special constables, but did not do so. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the desire of the Government in enrolling the special constables is to obtain all possible help in restoring normal conditions in Ireland. There is, of course, no discrimination whatever against Roman Catholics. They will be welcomed to the Force. Some, indeed, have already joined.
§ Mr. DEVLINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that over five weeks ago, before this policy of enrolling special constables was authoritatively announced by the Government, that an announcement was made at a meeting of those who organised this pogrom, that this was to be the policy of the Government. It was announced by the gentleman who organised the pogrom against the Catholics of Belfast. Is the Chief Secretary not aware of that?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODNo, I am not aware of that.
§ Mr. DEVLINThe right hon. Gentleman can read the newspapers. The right hon. Gentleman can get a report of the speech. [HON. MEMBRES: "Order, order!"] Order yourselves! We have not got the "Black and Tans" yet in the House of Commons, though we have the savages!
§ Mr. SPEAKERI must ask the hon. Gentleman to put what he has to say in interrogative form.
§ Mr. DEVLINYes, Sir. I want to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his attention has been called to a speech of the leader of this pogrom by which four or five thousand innocent men have been driven from their employment—I mean of the gentleman who announced the Government's policy five weeks ago before it was ever mentioned authoritatively by Dublin Castle or the Chief Secretary? How did this gentleman get to know what was the intention of the Government in organising the special constables to exterminate the Catholics of Belfast?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI have no knowledge of the facts as set out by the hon. Gentleman. The question of enrolling special constables has engaged the attention of the Irish Government for many months past. I myself have never seen why well-disposed citizens should not be enrolled in the support of their own homes and with their fellow-citizens in support of the community in which they live, against anyone wishful to disturb the peace.
§ Mr. DEVLINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in order to maintain law and order in three provinces of Ireland he has turned that country into a veritable hell? Why in doing so are the forces of the Crown not sufficient without bringing in the political partisans and opponents of the Nationalists? Why are the forces of the Crown not engaged solely without the introduction of these elements in maintaining law and order in the other province in Ireland?
§ At the end of Questions,
§ Mr. T. P. O'CONNORI beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the renewal, since the last Debate in the House, of a policy of frightfulness in Ireland by indiscriminate shootings, by floggings, by incendiary fires, and by arming of Orange volunteers in Ulster as special constables.
§ The pleasure of the House not having been signified, Mr. SPEAKER called on those Members who supported the Motion to rise in their places, and not fewer than forty Members having accordingly risen, the Motion stood over, under Standing Order No. 10, until a Quarter Past Fight this evening.