THE TREATMENT OF TERRORISTS
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] SIR,—There is no Irishman, whose moral sense has not been .obscured by early political teaching, who will attempt to justify or condone the actions of his misguided compatriots in this country, and the swift efficiency of the authorities in bringing the terrorists to trial is to be commended. Neverthe- less, the treatment of Irish disaffection by the British Govern- ment is on this occasion, as it has always been in the past, symptomatic rather than curative.
There are in the prisons of Ulster thirty-four men who have had no trial, and have no prospect of one. This totali- tarian method of dealing with the disaffected minority has produced the results of the last few months, and in turn the imprisonment of the terrorists may produce further
reprisals in this country, and in Ulster. Surely the British Government, in addition to precautionary police methods, could persuade the Ulster Government to return to the rule of habeas corpus which is one of the most prized essentials of British citizenship. This and similar measures would do more to lessen terrorism than the imprisonment of a few fanatics. Justice is seldom out of place and seldom produces bad results.—Yours faithfully, DESMOND IRWIN, M.B., B.Ch.
Essex County Hospital, Wanstead, E. zi.
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