WHAT CAUSED THE REBELLION?

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2778, 24 May 1916, Page 5

WHAT CAUSED THE REBELLION?

THE SINN FEIN INQUIRY COMMISSION AMAZING STATEMENTS VICEROY WAS MERELY A FIGURE-HEAD Bs TeloeraDli—Press Association— CooyVlsl: _ London, May 22. The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the causes of the Irish rebellion has resumed. lord Hardinge (the President) read a letter from Lieutenant-General Sir Neil Macready (Adjutant-General to the Forces) stating that Mr. Birrell and Lord \\ linborue and others lield a conference at the AYar Office on March 20, purely in regard to recruiting in Ireland. A proposal was mads to send troops to> be quartered outside Dublin, for the sole purpose of stimulating recruiting. Mr. Birrell afterwards saw Lord Rrench ' (Com-mander-in-Chief of the Home Forces). 'As far as the Wiu- Office is aware, the question of sending troops to overawe the Sinn Feiners never arose.' Some time previously, Major-General Loviclc Friend (commanding . South-Western Coast defences) wrote intimating the possibility of trouble in the South of Ireland, and that he might require extra troops The War Office arranged to have a reserve brigade ready to send over if cabled for." Replying to Lord' Hardinge, Mr. Birl'ell said his recollection was that at all the interviews he pointed out that it would be most desirable to let the people of Dublin see the troops in the streets. Danger Laughed At. Lord Midleton, in his evidence, stated that lie interviewed Mr. Birrell, and strongly urged • disarmament of the National' Volunteers. Mr. Birrell replied: "I laugh at the whole thing. Mr. Redmond and Mr. Dillon are against noticing seditious utterances." Lord Midleton remonstrated Tvith Mr. Birrell against taking a dangerous course. In January he interviewed Mr. Asquith, who asked him to submit a memorandum. Lord Midleton handed this to the committee. Mr, Birrell, at the end of February, sent Lord Midleton a confidential'letter, which was now permitted to be read. Mr. Birrell wrote: The loyalty of Ireland is a plant of slow growth.- I am surprised at the signs of disloyalty, whereas Lord Midleton is annoyed and has demanded strong measures. Wheii headstrong priests and crack-brained people make speeches which, if made in England, would bring .the speakers not within the terror of the law, but within the range of the mob, we cannot rely on Irish juries. _A proclamation declaring tho irregularity of the Irish volunteers would be reckless and foolish. lam more alarmed at the possibility of bombs. Lord Midleton said he later interviewed Sir Matthew Nathan, who said the executive was largely guided by the advice of Mr. Dillon and Mr. Redmond. Witness protested against the responsibility being placed on those gentlemen. Mr. Redmond could hardly cany a single seat in Munster; also his life would be endangered. Sir Matthew Nathan replied, pointing out the Government's difficulties in taking _ prominent steps. They had to deal with dangerous men. Sis days before the outbreak Lord Midleton gave Lord Wimborne the gravest warn, ing. Mr. Justice Shearman: "It must have occurred to you that if you disarmed the Volunteers it would suggest the retort 'Disarm the Ulstermen.'" Lord Midleton: "That might have been Baid in the case of Mr. Redmond's Volunteers, but hardly in the case of tho Sinn Feiners. I would have bee.ii much surprised if the Ulster Volunteers and Mr. Redmond's Volunteers had not been willing to pile arms under efficient jurisdiction during the war." , Viceroy's Authority Usurped. • Lord Wimborne testified that his position and powers had been entirely usurped by tho Chief Secretary and Un-der-Secretary. He had no executive machinery with which to take action independently of his colleagues, nor any means of asserting his views when they conflicted with those of his nominal subordinates. After repeated representations he had obtained a partial insight into the administration. He> received daily reports, for his information, and not with a view of inviting his opinion. Lord Wimborne said his functions were confined to unsolicited advice and oner, getio representation. Ho had found during a tour in the south and west of Ireland that the Sinn were everywhere belittled. He often formed independent views divergent from those of the Executive. He was thinking more of probable enemy raids than of internal disturbances. Tho garrison had been inadequate since the departure of the Irish Division to the front at tho end of the summer. Last- March he - had urged Lord French to send a division, to Ireland. Lord French- replied that the War Office objected, as it would delay the dispatch of troops to the front for at least a fortnight. Lord Wimborne told him | ho would bo much more comfortable if tho division was sent. .

During a second interview with' Lord French, on March 30, he gave the internal situation of Ireland as the: reason why more troops were needed. Lord Wimborne added that Mr. Birrell had always advocated having moro troops in Dublin. ■ Early in 1916 the police reports showed that the members of the Sinn Fein owned numbers of rifles. Witness then suggested that , they, should be deported or interned, and mentioned the matter to Sir Edward Carson when the ktter was Attorney-General.. Sir Edward Carson declared that to deport men away from Ireland would be an extreme interpretation of -the Defence of the Realm Act. Witness therefore favoured the internment of the suspects, and 6trongly urged the arrest of the Sinn Feiners. He wrote to Mr. Birrell when the outbreak occurred: "The worst lias happened, just when we thought it had been averted. If only we had acted last night with decision, and arrested the leaders, as I . wanted, the trouble might have been averted." '

Lord Wimborne said that General Friend left Dublin on the Thursday before the. outbreak.

Lord Hardinge: "Who gave him leave?" Lord Wimborne-. "His leaving was part of the Irish system. Everybody leaves Dublin on. bank holidays. The "Admiral at Queenstown received information of Casement's departure in a German ship, accompanied by two submarines, and that lie might be expected off the coast at Easter. That information was not communicated to the Irish Government." Lord Hardinge asked if it was not extraordinary that it was not communicated to the General Staff or the Acting-Com-mander, or the Government. Lord Wimborne: "I think it extraordinary." '

Asked why, when on East?r Sunday, the Under-Secretary was in favour of raiding Liberty Hall and the Sinn Feiners' arsenals, this was not done, Lord Wimborno replied that there was insufficient time, and he objected to arresting anyone until he was able to arrest tho leaders.

Lord Wimborne added that he had signed the warrants for the arrest; of the Sinn Fein leaders. He wanted to havo at least a hundred of them arrested on the Saturday or Sunday before the outbreak, and was about to communicate with Mr; Birrell and Mr. Asquith deploring further delay when the outbreak occurred.