The Prime Minister, in an interview published by the Daily
Chronicle on Wednesday, confirmed all that Mr. Boner Law had said in a letter to the Labour Party. Mr. MacSwiney com- manded a " brigade " which had been actively concerned in the murders of policemen, and the Government had documentary evidence of his complicity. A small gang of men were terrorizing the large mass of Irishmen ; Mrs MacSwiney's predecessor, although a Nationalist, had been murdered by the gang because he would not fall in with their plans. Mr. Lloyd George said with truth that we must either abandon Ireland to civil war or protect the men who were defending the Flag. The release of Mr. MacSwiney would have a disastrous effect upon all those who were trying to restore order. " Pain must not obscure duty," said Mr. Lloyd George. " To this campaign [of murder] we cannot and will not bow." We congratulate the Prime Minister upon his firm stand for law and order against the sham sentiment which is being invoked by his enemies on behalf of the would-be suicide. The situation in Ireland will improve rapidly when every Irishman realizes that the Government mean what they say.
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