July 30 1924
Complaints have been reaching me for some time past that a religious test was being applied to men seeking employment at the new coal mines at Coalisland and other works in the same district.
At first I paid little attention to these, as I thought matters would soon right themselves; but as further protests came to me I decided to investigate the matter, and I have procured overwhelming evidence to prove that under the cloak of industrial developments, the Ulster Unionist leaders are carrying out a new plantation.
The Catholic majority in Tyrone has always been a bitter pill to the Unionists, and plans were made immediately after the passing of the Government of Ireland Act to gain the balance of power.
The gerrymandering of the electoral areas was the first step in the conspiracy, but this only partly achieved the object aimed at. Then, when it was seen that the development of the coal industry in the eastern part of the county was likely to be successful, the Craigites decided on another big effort to accomplish their purposes.
The new industry required skilled men, who were brought from Cumberland and Scotland, care being taken before engaging them to make sure that they were all Protestants.
As the preparations for opening the mine advanced, further skilled men were required. Two of the Scotch miners, preferring to have working by their side men whom they knew, sent to Lanarkshire for two of their old mates. In response to the invitation, these men arrived in Tyrone. What followed is best told in a statement, signed by both, which I have before me. They said:
“On making the request for work we were confronted with the question… ‘What religion are you?’ On answering that we were Catholics we were told that there was no work for us.”
Here we had two miners, who, in the opinion of their former mates, were thoroughly competent for the work, turned away for the simple reason that they were Catholics.
The facts in my possession show that this was not an isolated instance, but was part of a considered policy to exclude Catholics, as far as it was possible to do so, from benefiting by the industrial development.
