SINN FEIN PLOT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 53, 26 November 1920, Page 7

SINN FEIN PLOT

DIABOLICAL WRECKING

SCHEMES

CAPTURED DOCUMENTS PUBLISHED

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR GANGS By Tcleiraph-Press A»«ociation--CoDyritrM (Rec. November 25, 8.20 p.m.) London, November 25. The Irish Office publishes the captured Sinn Fein documents containing detailed plans to destroy the Liverpool dock gates and machinery by means of gelignite, also sketches for the guidance of the gangs. It was proposed to ignite the warehouse to mask the operations. Other documents Bive details, with sketches, for crippling the main power station in Manchester which supplies the majority of the factories, trams, etc., also the reports of a spy who made a close inspection of the station. Tho spy describes the importance ot tho. power station to Manchester industry, and shows details as to how tho destruction parties ought to proceed. The documents show that it was hoped that if tho dock gates were destroyed, the. outrush of water would cause widespread damage to shipping, and tho destruction of the power sfttion in Stuart Street, Manchester, would,, according to the document, paralyse Manchester. The plan of campaign as regards Liverpool was to cue the telephones, overpower the dock police, open the gates, and then demolish the gate and machinery by gelignite. It was -estimated that tlfis would require twenty-three officers, twenty-seven engineers, and seventyhve. rank and file. Tho preparations would occupy three weeks, and the officer? Avould require. to reside in the vicinity for a week.

Schedules contain a list of the docks, now to destroy them, tho men required, how the docks are at present protected and guarded, how to deal, with the guards, and how to approach them. I'or example, the Canada dock is allotted to ten men with 1001b. of gelignite. Attempts are made to calculate tho time necessary to empty the docks by. such methods, and instructions' are given as regards the most vulnerable portions of the machinery, and how various parts could be best attacked. Sketches are drawn of dockyards, showing the mothod and material of construction, and what weight of explosive would be required for each hinge. It was proposed to detonate the charges electrically. In order to mask the approach and escape of the gangs, it was proposed to start lires in coftou Und other warehouses hulf-au-hour ahead.

The documont relating to Stuart Street, Manchester, tells how the station is worked and the hours of the fihifts, with a' sketch plan showing the positions of the vulnerable machinery, for example, the turbines and switchboards. It was proposed to cut the telephones, overpower the watchmen, and admit a motor bearing tools; also to round up the staff of workmen. Most detailed instructions are furnished with the sketches, showing how each destruction party would'procecd, the number of men in each party, and what implements were necessary. Another document gives a report of a spy who toured the works one Sunday morning for an hour and a half. The same spy visited the vital pumping-slation at Claytonvple and supplied a report thereon.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

HOME RULE BILL

DEBATE IN HOUSE OF LORDS

MAJORITY FOR MEASURE EXPECTED. (Reo. November 25, 9.25 p.m.) London, November 11. The House of Lords resumed the debate on the amendment of the Earl of Dunraven nnd Mount Karl that the Homo Rule Bill be rejected.

Viscount Grey said that insrend of a detailed Bill the Government should have laid down broad lines within which Ireland should have comploto authority, reserving the foreign affairs, and an army and navy. Neither Britain nor Ireland could be defended unless there was one navy and naval authority. If the Government gave Ireland fiscal freedom in the hop that it.would produce peace, something might bo done with the piesent Bill. He asked the Government to take courage from Imperial history, such as that of South* Africa, which showed that wo had never lost by giving too much. Until tho differences between the two parts of Ireland were settled there could be no real settlement of the Irish question.

Lord Salisbury stated that Ireland could not be seftled on the lines of unity. "There are two races and religions, and no sign of them coming together."

Lord Londonderry said he believed that the Bill contained the germs of pence and contentment.

Viscount Bryce said he did not believe the Bill was likely to produce a settlement, but ho hoped the debate would result in the Government producing a Hew scheme, conceding the fullest self-goveru-ment consistent with England's control of the foreign policy, tho army, and the navy.

Lord, Aberdeen hoped the Government would olfer generous amendments in response to Viscount Grey's suggestions. The Earl of Mayo eaid that all Ireland resented partition.

The Earl of Uonoughmore opposed home rule in any form. .

Other speeches again revealed remarkable cross-currents.

The debute was adjourned.—Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn.

(Rec. November 25, 10.10 p.m.)

London,* November 2&. Viscount. Midleton will move in the House of Lords to-day a motion to postpone the Home Rule Bill for a fortnight, so as to enable the Government to suggest amendments in the light, of the debate. Lord Birkenhead lias already intimaied that ho will regard such an amendment as vita]. It is believed that, despite the cross-currents, a majority for the Bill is assured—Aus.-N.Z.-Cable Assn.

THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY

DISCUSSED IN HOUSE OF

COMMONS

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE CARRIED.

(Kec. November 25, 7.55 p.m.) T ~ r , London, November 24. , c , l i?," se of Commons, Mr. Asquith moved: "That the House condemns tho outrages committed against the forces of me Uown and civilians in Ireland, and expresses deep abhorrence at the brutal assassination of oflicora and oflier British subjects m Dublin on Sunday; that tho. iiousc also deplores and condemns the action of tho Executive in attempting to repress crime by methods of terrorism arm reprisals, which involve the lives oi tie innocent, and arc contrary to civilised usage. n Mr ; Asquit " saM the dead officers, in the iiiHcst sense of the word, were martyrs to public duty. It was a satisfaction to know thai'those arrested would suiter tho extreme penalty. The Irish authorities defended the deaths of civilians by stating that if officers of tho U'own were hit they were entitled to hit back, but this hypothesis only covered a smnll part of the ground. It was evident that tho forces of the Crown wern engaged in <v„systematic way upon the deliberate destruction of creameries, shops, and homes without regard to tho mnocenco or guilt of tho sufferers. Tho C.vjdeneu was overwhelming that the reprisals were orgnnisod by the police und military, ihus the Government was destroying moderate opinion and poisoning the atmosphere of Ireland. . bir Uamer Greenwood, replying, wolcomed Mr. Asqtiith's condemnation of tho nun-dors of soldiers, which had not been so conspicuous in the speeches ns he should havo liked.-. He denounced tho London Liberal Federation, of which Mr. Asquith was the president, for issuing bulletins of tho Irish murder gangs, who also had their representatives in the lobby. This was a loathsome alllanco.

Considerable interruption followed this statement, and orles of "Names!" M»m«

bers on tho Ministerial benclies retorted i ".Some of you soom -very -uneasy." (Laughter.) i

Sir Hamor Greenwood proceeded! "From Mr. AsquUh's speech one would think (ha soldiers were going about Ireland, slayiug and burning. As a fact, three-quarters of Ireland is as peaceful as Kent, because the forces of the Crown are breaking the terrorism." Out of 710 creameries it was only alleged that 41 had been damaged, of which some had been used as ambushes and their destruction was justified. Ho did not want to Bee a law passed enabling tho police to arrest or 6hoot anybody found with arms in his hands, but no other country in the world would have stood what Britain was standing. Sinn Fein courts had now disappeared, tho boycott had boon broken, intimidation was going, hunger-strikiiiu was finished, and the republican army was being broken up. The only issue remaining was who was for the Empire and who for the assassins? (Cheers.) Mr. Clynos said the Government should put upon tho Irish people the responsibility for the government of Ireland. Mr. Asquith's motion was rejected by 303 votes to 83.

Colonel John Ward's amendment, announcing the terrorism, thanking the forces of tho Crown for their courage und devotion, and expressing confidence in the Government's policy was carried without division—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.