The Irish mess
Sir: Will Britain ever learn? The tragic events in Northern Ireland are a repetition of the troubled Years 1920-1921 in the South when the battle was between the Sinn Fein (Irish independence movement) and the Black and Tans (British auxiliary armed police). In both cases no mercy was shown by either side. The parallel is so close that even innocent children were murdered. "A twelve year old boy was killed ivhile fetching water to put out a fire." (The Black and Tans by Richard Bennett.) "Men were murdered, houses burnt, villages wrecked" (idem).
Although a protestant I am convinced that the only way to end this deplorable struggle is to give the catholics in Northern Ireland full civic equality, and, with peace restored, find the means of creating a Federal Ireland, with the north entirely independent of Britain. The shoot-at-sight policy will only aggravate the situation.
Richard Morris Riverrun, Tannay
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