[Northern Ireland: Special Powers Acts.] Two printed items: ‘Report of a Commission of Inquiry appointed to examine the Purpose and Effect of the Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Acts (Northern Ireland) 1922 & 1933.’ and handbill with reviews.

Two items from the Robert and Sylvia Lynd papers. The first item is well represented in academic libraries, no copy of the second has been found. Item Two below asserts that ‘Under these Acts the Home Minister of Northern Ireland is furnished with what are practically dictatorship powers’, which are ‘now a permanent part of Northern Irish law’. (Robert Lynd’s interest in the matter was no doubt heightened by the fact that he was himself an Ulsterman.) ONE: Printed pamphlet. Title: ‘The Special Powers Acts of Northern Ireland / Report of a Commission of Inquiry appointed to examine the Purpose and Effect of the Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Acts (Northern Ireland) 1922 & 1933.’ 40pp, stapled, in grey card wraps with title-page duplicated on cover and list of the Council’s officers on inside back wrap. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in lightly-worn covers, with slightly rusty staples. TWO: Handbill (2pp, 12mo) advertising Item One. On one side twenty-five lines of small print describing the significance of the pamphlet; on the other reviews by Professor J. L. Brierly, ‘Mr. Robert Lynd (Author and Critic)’ (‘An extremely important, even sensationally important, report. Most of those who read it and who are neither Fascists nor Communists will agree that, except temporarily during a civil war, it would be dangerous to trust even the best Executive in the world and the best Police in the world with the all but absolute powers enumerated here.’) and H. G. Wells (‘The report speaks for itself; don’t ask my opinion on it; read it – if you care for human freedom and dignity under the British flag – and form your own conclusions.’