On Friday, October 24th, Mr. de Valera was arrested by
the Ulster Constabulary in the Newry Town Hall. It had been announced that he would speak at a meeting on behalf of Mr. Michael Murney, who had been nominated as a Republican candidate for County Down in the Imperial Parliament but is now interned. It had not been expected that Mr. de Valera would succeed in reaching the hall. The reason why he was able to do so was partly that he adopted a slight disguise and partly that he was not very well known by sight to the Newry police. After his arrest he was expelled from the Six Counties. He, however, recrossed the boundary and last Sunday night was arrested again at Londonderry. It has often been unkindly suggested that when Mr. de Valera has announced a bold policy, and feels unable to carry it out, he is not at all displeased to be removed for a time. If that be true he must be con- tented enough now. He has been taken to Belfast Prison, and he will probably be confined until the excitement of the elections is over. We must add here that that extremely able journalist and defender of the Ulster Protestant cause, Mr. J. R. Fisher, has been appointed by the Government as the third member of the Boundary Commission.
* * * *
Previous page
