The reprisals are a deplorable breakdown of discipline. They must
be prevented in the future, and, as far as possible, the authors of them must be punished. Two wrongs never make a right ; the terrible crimes of Shin Feiners can never justify crime in the agents of Government. Unfortunately, Sir Nevil Macready has given a handle to all the perverse or malicious critics of events in Ireland in an interview which he had with a correspondent of the Associated Frees of America. After denying that reprisals were due to any policy formulated by the Government, he went on to say that it was " only human" that policemen and soldiers " should act on their own initiative." Punishment for such acts was " a delicate matter," inasmuch as " it might be interpreted as setting at nought the training that officers have given to their men."
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