The Dominion. SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1916. THE IRISH CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2812, 1 July 1916, Page 8

The Dominion. SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1916. THE IRISH CRISIS

It is clear that a critical condition of affairs exists .in; Ireland. The suppression of the recent outbreak in Dublin has not ended fbo trouble, and the Sinn Fein iuc\ement, instead of being crushed, is spreading in a. menacing fashion. It is worthy of note in passing that the German' Press ridiculed the idea that the Sinn Fein rising had lun suppressed by the capture of Sir Roger Casement and the execution of the leaders who comprised the provisional rebel government. . The situation, as it was read by the Berlin dailies, to quote a summary of their views, was that the military strength of: the rebels was as great as ever, and that the official London estimate-of the situation had been .based on the ignorance of men like 'Mit. John Redmond, and Mr. Augustine Birrell, who were ignorant of tho real state of_ Irish opinion, and out of .touch with the facts of Irish life to-day. Ireland, as the Germans saw it, was still the centre of a rebellious movement, scattered in' its eilcmcnts, but awaiting the first opportunity to reunite. It may be said that here was a case of the wish being father to the thought, fcsit the facts now disclosed go to show that there was at least some measure of truth in the German estimate of the situation. Recent files to hand contain the reports of tho proceedings of the Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the causcs of the Irish rebellion. The evidence discloses a condition of affairs that almost passes belief. Mn. Birreu, and thoso , associated with him in the control of _ Irish affairs present a pathetic picture. Warning.after warning was given to them by responsible men of the, dangers of tbo.Sinn Fein movement;

facts were piled on facts indicating the increasing boldness of seditious writers and speakers who openly preached revolt; undisputed evidence was forthcoming of the arming and drilling and manoeuvring of Sinn Fein volunteers—and Mr. Birrell and Sir Matthew Nathan and the Lorcl-Licutonant treated' the-whole matter as of no account. Lord Midleton, whose name figures prominently in £!ie cablegrams to-day, month after month, by letter and by personal, inter view, sought' to arouse Mr. Birrell and those associated with him to a sense of the danger of the situation. Readings his evidence given before the .Royal l Commission'.in the light of later'events, the criminal folly of those who neglected his warnings, which were supported by most convincing facts, is only too plain. Ho was laughted at for his pains. . / About the -'middle of November, 1915, he said in -the course of his evidence, ho saw Sir.-Birrell and pressed upon him the position of the , Sinn Fein ri:ovoment in the south and west of Ireland, and tho activity of the volunteers throughout the country. He strongly urged that the volunteers Should le disarmed, an.l that certain individuals who had made seditious speeches' ought to bo brought to account. Mr. Birrell said, in effect, that the Sinn Fein organisation and drilling were to be laughed at, and ■seed not be taken seriously. To' take • r.otice of speeches made by crack-brained enthusiasts and priests would only halt- tho slow growth of loyalty in Ireland. . ... 1 laugh .at the wholo thing.

Again and again Lord Midleton, a man of great political experience, sound judgment, and with an intimate knowledge of conditions in Ireland, attcipptcd to convince Mr.. Birrell and. other members of the Government of the nced> for strong action, but his .warnings, and the facts on which, they were based, were ■ lightly brushed aside. At the last- . minute, practically on the eve of the . outbreak; : Lord" Wihborne, the Lord. Lieutenant;, .pi Ireland, • seems' to 'have been 'aroused, and he and ■ the Under-Secretary' appear to have arrived at an agreement that the. headquarters of the Sinn Feiners in Dublin should be raided and prom- . irient suspects arrested. Even then —that--is to', say,' after warnings from the' Admiralty as. to the comiijg. of two German submarines with a steamer carrying : arms for the. rebels, 1 after the sinking of the steamer, and the arrest ol the men (including , Casement) who had landed from her—nothing was done. Next day- the outbreak occurred. Had the raid and the arrest of suspects beerl carried out even at that late stage of affairs the trouble might have been suppressed without serious loss. Deprived of their leaders, the Sinn Feiners would have been helpless. The ' whole story is one of pitiable weakness, th'c condoning of sedition and open ■ lawlessness in-a craven, fear of ■ unpleasant consequences. The effect, as 7 lias been shown; was' the encouragement of the disloyal 'Sinn Fein movement, whereas the professed, ground for inaction was the. fear of interfering with the growth of Irish loyalty. The. in-., creasing power of the .Sinn Feiners, their immunity from punishment for their open flouting of the law; the terrorism they practised, drew, to' their ranks many who under normal conditions would have stood aloof from the movement. The rebellion was suppressed sternly enough—no other course was possible in face of the dastardly behaviour of the rebels—but immediately after' there began an outcry for leniency, and a demand for the pacification of Ireland by the granting, of Homo Rule. ' Apparently the' Sinn Feiners have turned this to account—they treat such generosity as another indication of' the weakness of the Government. Probably they make claim that it is their act of rebellion that has forced the Government to hasten forward with a suggestion to grant Homo Rule at once, instead of waiting until the end of the war. Probably, t'ob,' they urge that the Government, having given in so far—or having shown signs of being willing to conccde so much —a recrudescence of the Dublin. trouble might force still further concessions. _ In any case, the weakness and timidity of {he Government have allowed the Sinn Feiners to become a power which is again threatening to bring trouble and bloodshed to Ireland. One of the most significant features of the situation is the waning power of the recognised Irish political leaders. The Sinn Fein has undermined their authority and influence to a quite amazing degree, and this may be taken as a very sure indication of its strength, in the course of his evidence before the Royal Commission, Loud Midleton said:

The' effect of the junction 'in denims with the conspiracy was Hint in the event of an election Mr. Redmond would hardly carry ii' single S6i\t in Munstci r«-hic'h province, lie in the past has dominated! and whether lie knew it or not, Mr Ueilmond was in danger ol his hie. Tho character of the Sinn Fein movement may perhaps be better gauged from its attitude towaids those Irish' leaders who havo done so much for Ireland and Home Rule than from anything else. It is not truly representative of Irish feeling; -it' is wholly disloyal and anarchistic, and it flourishes on its capacity to intimidate. The longer it is permitted to carry on its ma-

. chinations tho more powerful it will become. With it, • generosity and lcniency are regarded as evidence of weakness. Unless the Asquith Government deals with the situation in a firm and a resolute manner it is to be feared there will be further disturbances in Ireland involving much loss and sufforing.