DISORDER IN IRELAND

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 151, 15 March 1918, Page 5

DISORDER IN IRELAND

LARGELY DUE TO GERMAN INFLUENCE j GOOD RESULTS OF STRONG i ACTION ■ J GOVERNMENT DETERMINED TO < ENFORCE THE LAW j —11_ ' " : .■'■'. ! .London, March 13. .! Lord Salisbury, in the House r,f ' j Lords, moved a resolution calling on ; the Government to enforce the law in i Ireland, as the prosont , situation in' ' Ireland liad become a danger to the j Empire and a menaco to tho ; prosecution of the war and .to. life and i property. His Lordship paid a tribute \ to Ireland, but said that the existing; | attitudo of treason, disloyalty, and : anarchy towards Iho war proved tlio > danger of establishing any form of self-' ; government in Ireland. Ho quoted in- ! stances of victimisation of soldiers, j destruction of bridges, insults to the '. National Anthem, and » demonstration ■ against Americau sailors. Lord Salis- ' | bury declared thatfhe trouble was all ! duo to administrative feebleness. The ' Government had been afraid to touch • tho leaders, and anarchy Lad now j reached a point which, was intolerable; j in any ciyilised country. The condi- i tiona were much worse than the public ■ was permitted to know. Tho disorder ; had spread far beyond Clare, and was '; now rcnipant in Limerick, Tipperary, \ and Galway, and would become more' j general uuloss put dowa. ' " ;

The Earl of "Meath warned the Government of the danger of the attempts by the Sinn Fsin to create a republic. A federal solution was the only solution, but the Government meanwhile, must maintain order.

Lord Sydenham criticised the Government's negligence and apathy in Ireland. Tba position was largely due to German influence.

Lord Curzon, iu replying, gave an assurance that the Government would tako no stop which would lead to Irish separation. Mr. Duke (Chief Secretary for Ireland) had the Government's unqualified support. Sinn Feinism had rarely overstepped tho mark until December. The nets of tho agitatorscould bo treated with contempt from the military point of view. There had been many arrests and but the lawlessness had been exaggerated. Lord Curzon acknowledged the assistance of tho Irish Catholic Bishops in order to save Ireland from lawlessness and civil war. Armed forco could bo easily applied, but tho results would be incalculable, and might accelerato and not stiflo the conflagration. Political agitation had been replaced in the last fow months by criminal conspiracy. An earlier attempt to use force would not have carried public opinion with it. Tho military had now been given full power iu the disturbed areas, with instructions to disperse meetings of agitators, arrest tho leaders, and strike at tho disorder. Lord Curzon regretted the painful necessity for this action, but Lord French's report had confirmed tho good, results of strong action. The disturbance had boiled over, but it had not yet cooled. • He could not saj for Low long military measures'would bo necessary, but'the Government was dotenained to enforce tho law. . The Government's policy may not bo one of heroism, but it wae ono of sanity an<? common sense Lord Selborne laid the Government's policy Lad been disastrous; tho Government had not taken adequate measures. Lord Lansdowne said tiat a disquiet, ing feature of tho disorder was the outburst of agreement with tae enemy. Tho recent acts in Ireland amounted io rebellion. '■ ■■ i. Lord Salisbury withdrew his motion, in view of Lord Curzon's assurance.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

RESTORATION OF NATIONAL ENDEAVOUR MR .DILLON'H PASSIONATE DESIRE. London, March 13.-" The "Daily Nows" correspondent at Dublin states that many Irishmen expect that Mr. Dillon's first action will be to reuow the. advances m?.de recently to the Sinn Fein not to. contest, by-election r until tlio geneml election, when it will be possible to test tie feeling of the countrq. Mr. Dillon passionately desires to restore unity_ of national endeavour, and the Sum Fien may now bo willing to meet him half-way.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.