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IRELAND
LORD FRENCH'S ViEW
RESIGNATION REPORT FALSE
"SINN FEIN A REIGN OF
TERROR."
ARMY . OP 100,000.
[Tns. Press Association.-Copyright.]
' LONDON, Wednesday.-The corres
pondent of the "Daily Express" at
Dublin had an interview with Lord
French (Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland),
who denied that there was any truth
in his reported resignation.
Lord French added:-"It is true
I'm fed up with tho whole thing, and I
wish somebody would relieve me of the
job. but I am not resigning."
Lord ¡French complained that the
position in Ireland had been exagger
ated; there had been, he said, too
much criticism, which was merelv de
structive. Nobodv was offering a
policy of construction as an alternative
to tho present Home Rule Bill. He
alwayB was a Homo Ruler, ho said,
and had been more so since he becamo
Viceroy.
He totalv disagreed with Dublin
Castle methods. * He was linallie to
1 spend £20, ho said, without Whitehall's
permission, but Mr. Lloyd George and
Mr. Bonar Law had behaved splendid
ly, and had supported him ever sinco
his appointment.
Lord French's opinion was that the
Sinn Fein movement meant a reign of
terror. The best brains in Ireland
were behind it at its headquarters in
Dublin.
Sinn Fein, he affirmed, had now an
organised armv of 10O.0O0 men in regi
ments and brinnies, heine; trained un
der disciplined officers. Mrst of their
nrms were stolen, but Lord French
considered they were a formidable
army.
Tile authorities -had proof whence
the nioner came, and knew who the
three treasurers were : two. lie said,
were famous men. one a well-known
professor, and the other a leading Ca
tholic Bishop.
Lord French said that he was con
vinced that English opinion was ho
inf! misled by the exaggerated re
ports heinir circulator!. FnTland did
not understand Ireland ono .bit.
A »ked what ho thoncht tho end
would be? Lord F'onch replied that
there was e'enr evidence nf a split i'i
the Sinn Fein ranks, which would
nrobnWv moan Hie Undoine- nf the Sinn
''"ein leaders, who were behind tho
Irish murders, despite an nttemp to
til "nw. tb" blame nn ntb°r shoulders.
Pinn Feiner*, he was positive, had j
orcetited MnrOurtnin because he re
fused, as a Brigadier in the Irish Vol- '
unteers, to sign the death warrant of n
certain Tn?in who ras condemned to,
die. This man. Lord French said,
was later found shot outside Limerick. !
A total of »165 barracks were do- ¡
stroyed. Tho authorities intend to j
impose a local levy for comnensation. i
In tho event of payment toing re- '
fused, the Government will withhold ¡
the amounts demanded from the
grants for local services. j
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