§ 20. Mr. CAIRNSasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to statements in the Press that 428 recent issues of the "Irish Bulletin" are forged; whether he is aware that these documents could have been distributed only by persons in possession of the secret list of names and addresses to which the "Irish Bulletin" was regularly sent; and whether this list was amongst the documents seized by the Crown forces on the occasion of the raid on the headquarters of the Republican Propaganda Department?
51. Major BARNESasked the Chief Secretary whether he can state if, during the recent raid on the offices of the "Irish Bulletin," the Crown forces took away the list of journalists and politicians to whom that publication was being regularly sent; whether he is aware that since the seizure of that list the persons whose names appear on it have been receiving forgeries of that publication; whether the forged issues are being pre pared and posted in any Government Department in Dublin; and whether any of the money recently voted by this House for propaganda is being utilised in that work?
§ Mr. HENRYMy right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary has no knowledge whatever of the authorship or source of issue of the publication which has excited so much interest and speculation, and he is in no better position than other hon. Members to express an opinion as to whether it is what it purports to be, a genuine Irish bulletin. Judging, however, from internal evidence of style and subject matter, and bearing in mind the date of its issue, he is inclined to accept what appears to be the general conclusion in regard to its authenticity. The suggestion that the Irish Government is in any way responsible for the document or that a single penny of the Irish Vote has been expended on its production is, of course, untrue. He has satisfied himself as to that.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYHow does the right hon. Gentleman think it possible for these forged "Bulletins" to come to private persons who have been receiving the genuine bulletins in the past unless they came from the Crown forces who seized the list of addresses, and will the right hon. Gentleman make further inquiry as to how this can be published and circulated without any expenditure of public money?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that forged copies are coming out, each invariably bearing a twopenny stamp, to the list of, I believe, about 500 people who received the old "Bulletins," and how can that be done without an expenditure of public money?
Major BARNESWill the Attorney-General assure the House that the same efforts will be made to trace the forged "Bulletins," and stop their circulation, as were made to stop the genuine "Bulletins"?
§ Mr. MacVEAGHIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the Government have admitted having forged newspapers in imitation of the "Pravda" for circulation in Russia? Is this a case of the Irish Office following the example of the Home Office?
§ Mr. LYNNIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the "Irish Bulletin" is such a stupid organ that it is not worth circulating?