IN-IRELAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1918, Page 1

IN-IRELAND.

[per press association.—copyright.] ; . SINN FEIN PLOTTERS. IN-LEAGUE WITH GERMANY i’LO'i' STEP I}V STEP. 1 " 4 __ IlO\Y IT WAS FRUSTRATED [AUSTRALIAN & N. 7.. CABLE ASSOCIATION] LONDON, May 25. The Press Bureau lias issued a statement regarding the Irish arrests. The revolutionary movement consisted of two series of activities. The iftst was a German attempt to forment 'retell ion. The second comprised preparations in Ireland to carry out these attempts. If is possible to give a detailed nccomiP'of the connection between the Sinn Fein, leades and the Germans during the period prior to tile abortive Easter ,rebellion in 1511(5, but a lull statement, of subsequent facts in the Government’s possession would not be in the public interest, because it would meal the names of those assisting the Government also the channels of communication through which the German Government is acting. The story begins oil November (sth, H it, when Herr Zimmerman transmi. ted through Count Bernstorfl a message from Sir Roger Casement asking that a messenger, if possible a native born American, he sent to Ireland with word that everything was favourable. :-ir Roger Casement also asked that an Irish priest be sent to Germany to ce, nipt tlie Irish war prisoners. Father John Nicholson, an Irish horn Aiaericnn, reached Germany and trans-

mi:, ted messages to America in 1915. j Ymi -Papen, in December, 1915, rej pa ced that verbal assurances bad been j sent to Ireland in response to Sir Roger Casement’s request, quid these had produced an excellent impression. The pit !:• ripened at the beginning of 191(1. ('mint Herrtstorff’s despatch of February 10th included an extract from the report of John Devoy, head of “Clan nn Gael.’’ Devoy wote that action in Ireland could not be postponed mueh longer. because he feared that the loaders w< uld be arrested. Devoy added that it bad been decided to begin on Easter Saturday. He urged that arms and munitions reach Limerick bv that date. Count Bernstorff, following liis usual practice, surreptitiously attached a note to the message passed by the American Government to Berlin, fixing the rising for Easter Saturday and urging the pi -mpt despatch of munitions. Herr Yon Jagow replied on the 4th March that the arms would’ he landed at Tralee Bay. Count Bernstorfl' sent a message on March 1-ttli that the Irish had agreed aid he was sending a .messenger to In land with full details. Count Bernsi -i ll' also telegraphed a code for use between the Germans and the rebels w’ ile the arms were in transit and explained that a submarine might safely enter Dublin Bay as far as Pigeon 1! uise witliouPoncouiitering nets.

Herr Von Jagow on April 26th intimated that the arms would be sent and a special code word used nightly as an introduction by the German wireless pr ss service. Count Bernstorff informed Berlin tbit numerous private wireless receivin'.;; stations existed in Ireland, and urgent messages from America to Berlin on the Bth and 19th April fixed the delivery of arms on the evening of Easter Saturday. Pressed for a landing of German troops, and asked that an air raid and naval attack on the English curst be arranged. These attacks actually occurred between 24tli and 26th. It was declared that it was the hope of flic rebels and their Gcrman-Ameri-m friends to blockade the Irish ports gainst England and to establish Germ" n submarine liases in Ireland. The rebellion broke out a. day earlier than th - schedule. The German support miscarried and the revolt ended in complete failure. The British Government has the clearest proof that the Irish volunteers lr-vo been long in communication with the German auhorities and received lm ney through the Trish-American societies. Soon after the rising it became clear that the Sinn Fein leaders were again asking Germany for help. B -rlin set a message to Washington on June 17th that they were ready to give fe- flier help if the Trish would only say what sort of help was required. Count Bernstorff. in a despatch on June 16th, described the rebellion. He stated that £IOOO had been provided for Casement’s defence. Count B’ernstorff on July 25th sent a message that the reorganisation of the rebels was pro grossing. and hat be bad remedied tlieii lack of rnonev. Count Bernstorff on September Sth enclosed a m'emorandum from the Irish Revolution Director resident in America. containing the detailed proposals for a fresh rising contingent on Germany sending an expedition with a sufficient military force to coyer a landing. Germany was to fix the time. The advantage of submarine and Zeppelin bases in the West of Ireland was mentioned as an inducement. Count Boriistorff evidently was havincr difficulty with his tools. On the 24 th October, he warned Berlin pot to allow Captain Boehm, then living at Rotterdam, to write to Irishmen in America, because the letters wore apt to reach the wrong people. We subj. scquently arrested Boehm in British waters. Count Bernstorff, in a despatch on fill December, mentioned that the Irish leaders in America were pressing for a reply to tlieir proposal of Bth September. ; -• Herr Zimmerman, on 31st December, replied giving the. quantities of munitions which it was projKised to, land >etween the 21st and 25th Fob. M' l ' adding that it- was impossible to send j replied on the 18th Januarv that the Trish Committee had declined the proposal on the ground that the rising would be useless without Gen* man troops. . After America’s, entry, communication between the German _ Government and the Sinn Fein leaders, was temporarily broken off. Devoyks messen<*oi* service between Ainericji *ind Ireland was not effected, due to the new line visible in Ireland in the speeches of the Sinn Fein leaders during this I period. ’ , Do Valera, addressing: the conven- | tioii of Irish volunteers, on the 27th October, 1917. said that he would never advocate another rebellion without hope ful chances of success. Proper organisation would result in 500,000 Irish volI imtosre, hut there was m hope of sue*

cess..except through a German invasion of England and the landing of troops in Ireland. They should be prepared to leave nothing undone towards that end. De Valera in January, 1918, said that so long as Germany, is England’s enemy and England Ireland’s enemy, so long would Ireland be Germany’s friend.

For a considerable time it was difficult to obtain accurate information of the German Sinn Fein plans, but it was definitely ascertained in April, 1918 that the plan was ripe for execution, and Germany was only awaiting information from Ireland regarding the time and place. The British authorities warned the Irish Command regarding a probable landing. An agent from Germany from a submarine actually landed on 12th April, but was arrested. The rising depended largely on the landing of munitions from submarines. Evidence exists that the rising was planned to follow a successful German offensive on the West Front.

Britain then would presumably be stripped of troops. Documents found in Do Valova’s possession showed that be bad worked out in great detail the constitution of bis rebel army and hoped to muster 500,000 trained men.

There is evidence that- German munitions were actually shipped aboard a submarine at Cuxhaveti at tlie beginning of May, and that German submarines for some time had been busy round the west coast of Ireland on other errands than the destruction of shipping. Thus it will be seen that negotiations between tlie Sinn Fein executive and Germany bad been virtually continuous for three and n-half years. A section of. Irish-Aniericans at first was an intermediary in the discussions, hut since America’s entry communications with the enemy tended to be more direct. _ , The second rising planned for 191 < only broke down because G-ertnnny was unable to send troops.

The plans for a 1918 rising were maturing in connection with the German offensive on the Vest front. A new shipment of .qrnis from Germany was imminent. An important feature of every plan was the establishment of submarine bases in Ireland in order to menace the shipping of all nations. Under those circumstances no other course was open to the Government, if useless bloodshed were to bo avoided and our duty to the Allies fulfilled, hut to intern the authors and abettors ot this criminal intrigue.