The news from Ireland grows worse. Throughout the country the
wrecking of trains and the burning of houses has gone on in increasing volume. The madness to which the destruction of property is carried is beyond all belief. For example, as a reprisal the Irregulars have cut off the Youghal water-supply. Miles of pipe- line in the valley along which the supply runs have been blown up, and the main works have been ruined. The rage for destruction reached its zenith in Dublin and its surroundings on Monday night. There was a series of violent explosions, and no fewer than eight different houses were destroyed, including Sir Horace Plunkett's beautiful house outside Dublin and Palmerston House, belonging to Lord Mayo, a member of the Free State Senate. Mr. Stephen Gwynn's house has also been destroyed. Another Senator, Mr. John Bagwell, General Manager of the Great Northern Railway of Ireland, was kidnapped by five armed men. An official pro- clamation has been issued saying that unless Mr. Bagwell is released unharmed in forty-eight hours punitive action will be taken against "several associates in this conspiracy now in custody or other- wise." That means, in effect, reprisals on hostages. Though we have no wish to do anything that may help to paralyse the action of the Free State in their deadly struggle with the Irregulars, we are bound to make a protest here. In no war, civil or foreign, and in no circumstances, can it be right to shoot prisoners. It involves the essential injustice of inflicting the supreme penalty on the innocent for the crime of the guilty.
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