The attitude of Mr. Collins towards this necessary act on
the part of the British Government, who are of course simply acting in accordance with the Treaty in protecting Northern Ireland, was characteristic. It will be remembered that when the I.R.A. troops invaded Northern territory Mr. Griffith and Mr. Collins both repudiated the act and denied all responsi- bility for it. Yet now Mr. Collins is demanding " a full inquiry," takes " a grave view " of what has happened, and suggests that the Government are guilty of bad faith. How can one hope to settle anything satisfactorily with such people ? Obvi- ously Northern Ireland, the only part of Ireland in which any kind of law and order prevails, must be saved. If the Republican invaders had been repelled by Ulster special constables or Ulster volunteers the outcry would have been terrific. We can only hope that the Government will not allow themselves to be deflected in any way from doing their plain duty by specious arguments about " not provoking the Republicans." Hints have been given that if the Government do not submit to the will of the Irish extremists violent deeds will be done here as well as in Ireland. Perhaps the large thefts of explosives from the Lancashire mines by Sinn Feiners are evidence of the seriousness of the intention.
