On March 31st, according to Mr. Henry, notice was given
by some of the untried prisoners that they would resort to the hunger-strike on April 5th, their object being to get what is called " ameliorative treatment " for the convicted prisoners, Lord French was requested to intervene by the Chairman of the Visiting Justices and also by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Lord French replied that he had " no power to extend the ameliorative treatment to convicted prisoners," but untried prisoners, he remarked, were, as always, being treated under the rules for untried prisoners. " His Excellency does not propose to modify the rules." So far the situation seems clear enough. Untried prisoners were exposed to no harshness, but were under the normal conditions under which prisoners live while awaiting
trial. As for the question why prisoners were not rapidly brought to trial—a course which everybody with a love of justice in his heart and a proper respect for the traditions of English law would of course like to see taken—Mr. Henry had the complete answer that terrorism had reached such a pitch in Ireland that trials were useless. No witnesses dared to give evidence.
