On This Day / October 14, 1921
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
October 14, 2021
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 14th October 1921, the Irish Conference continued amid claims of Truce breaches and pressure to release internees, while the possible disbandment of the RIC was discussed. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Conference ‘Hitch’? | On This Day – 14th October 1921
AFTER a short session yesterday, the Irish Conference yesterday adjourned until today.
The Truce Committee had a very prolonged meeting, preceded by a visit from Mr Michael Collins and two colleagues to Mr Churchill.
It is ‘officially’ explained that there has been no ‘hitch’, but on the contrary, a certain amount of progress has been made.
However, the [Tory] Morning Post says: ‘According to reports, at least one member of the Government is on the point of handing in his resignation in order to dissociate himself from further responsibility for the surrender to Sinn Fein.’
The Daily Express says: ‘The Government do not intend to release the interned Sinn Fein prisoners at present.
The British Cabinet representatives pointed to the many ways in which the terms of the Truce were being evaded [by the Irish].
Mention was made of the commandeering of Government property, the landing of arms and the continuous training of Sinn Fein forces.
The total number of interned prisoners was stated officially to be 3,252.
The Sinn Fein delegates pointed out that the release of these prisoners would be a great factor in easing the situation.
It is understood that the withdrawal of the Auxiliary Police from duty was strongly urged by Sinn Fein.
RIC Facing Disbandment
REPRESENTATIVES from the Royal Irish Constabulary left Dublin yesterday to see the Prime Minister and Chief Secretary with regard to the position of the force should a settlement be arrived at.
Drastic changes in the RIC and possible disbandment were discussed.
Border Problems in Silesia
A REUTER Berlin message says: It is understood that the German government will take up the attitude that the finding of the League of Nations regarding the partition of Upper Silesia is incompatible with the [1919] Peace Treaty.
In a communique the League states that it had to consider both the wishes of the inhabitants’, as expressed in the recent plebiscite, and the ‘geographical conditions’ in the case of Upper Silesia.
The communique points out that no conceivable frontier line could save many who would prefer to be under Polish rule from being left in the territory assigned to Germany, or many who would prefer being under German rule from being left in that assigned to Poland.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: From the outset the Treaty negotiations were dogged by allegations of breaches of the truce on both sides.
On partition, Collins and Griffith would have been aware of violent ethnic clashes in Silesia, split by the League between Germany and Poland after a plebiscite.
Amazingly, the Irish side failed to insist on a similar plebiscite in the subsequent Boundary Commission under the Treaty.)
On This Day – 14th October 1921
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
On This Day is a daily column in the Irish News looking back either 50 or 100 years. The column was compiled by Dr Éamon Phoenix from the mid 1980s until autumn, 2022. The Foundation is very grateful to the Irish News for giving permission to reproduce Eamon’s columns. Funding gratefully received from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the Magill Trust.
* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.