Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1921. A NEW VIEW OF IRELAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1921, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1921. A NEW VIEW OF IRELAND.

Amu r the most interesting comments on the Irish situation which have been published in recent months, says a contemporary, are those of Mr Charles H. Grasty, an American journalist who attained some fame as a correspondent in the Great War. Whether Mr Grasty really knows something, or whether ho is merely putting forward some shrewd guesses, is a moot point, hut what he lias to say about Ireland is certainly interesting and not altogether improbable. He asserts positively that the Sinn Fein revolt in Ireland is not a spontaneous movement of the people, but the studied and deliberate work of a very few men. These men, lie says, the “G.H.Q.’’ of the Sinn Fein have their location in one of the western cities of England probably Manchester They know England; they know America, and they know Ireland down to the last detail. Their organisation is modern and business-like. They have aimed to create and have created, in Ireland, a condition of mental servitude, inspired h.v a policy of deliberate murder. "When 1 landed in Ireland, I. was horrified," says .Mr Grasty, writing m ihe ‘ Atlantic Monthly,’’ "but I soon felt the influence of the moral environment gaining upon me, so potent are habit and usage. Murder is domesticated ail institution. If one is put out of the way, it is the custom of the country, it is all in a day’s work. To bring about this state of moral paralysis, and so level down all public opin- , ion within the country, is the first object of the Irish management; the second is to put Britain up against difficulties which added to her other difficulties, will betray her into a kind of blundering to which temperamental antipathies rendered her peculiarly liable; the third is to throw into contrast apparent unanimity and efficiency in Ireland, and British inoompetency ranging from reckless aggression under the Defence of the Realm Act to bewildered and impotent inaction. This showing is especially useful as the basis of appeal to America. For, without financial help from America, and an American sympathy that will constantly embarrass Britain, the enterprise of an Irish Republic is a mere chimera.” Mr Grasty is of opinion that the organised and dispassionate direction of the revolution is proved hv the fact that it continues so long, and that it grows in strength. A purely popular outburst would have reached its culmination and collapsed long ago. The anonymity of the Irish leaders is an assistance to their efficiency and to the purely intellectual character of their control. They have no personality to he sustained or vanity to he gratifie’d. They rest secure in the belief that Britain will never sanction open war on Ireland, and that in the meantime events will give a general impression of British inefficiency and inconsistency. Britain,

says Mr (!rusty' if slu> could take a leaf out of the book of France, and send seasoned veteran soldiers to repress the revolt, as was done in the case of the French labour troubles last May, could “clean up Ireland in a week.” Hut tbo pacification of Ireland is being attempted with very young and very raw soldiers, and with a half terrified constabulary, a force which simply plays into the bands of the Sinn Fei nleaders. As to the outcome of it all, Mr Ora sty prophesies two things—one, that an Irish Republic will not be attained; and the other, that just as soon as the enterprise reaches the crucial point at which concessions may be made, Sinn Fein will split on the rock of Labour. The eventual form of settlement, be thinks, will take the shape of a, Dominion of Ireland, which sought to suit all parties, since Ulster at heart is not Unionist, nor is the rest of Ireland really separatist. The road to a free and united Ireland he considers, can only be taken after a more serious and fundamental issue than the quarrel with Britain has been decided—the issue between Capital and Labour. Mr Grasty may not have diagosed correctly the causes operating in Ireland to-day, but ho has at least n working theory, and one which fits in with most of the (

facts as they appear at this end of the world. But if he is right the remedy is not to ‘‘clean up Ireland in a week” with old soldiers, but to capture the leaders who control the murder-policy of Sinn Fein. If Ireland—and Britain —are merely the puppets of certain clever gentlemen ensconced safely in Manchester ,the first step towards an end of bloodshed and disorder is to lay hands on those who pull the wires.

Tiif. revision of the tariff was the subject of some remarks by the Prime Minister at Auckland on last week. Mr Massey said that this would he gone on with during 1921. Asked to state what form the revision of the tariff would take, Mr Massey said: “So far as I am able to judge, it will be on the lines of a preference tariff that is, preference to countries within the Empire. What we purpose doing before drawing up our scheme is that the officers of the Customs Department will take the opinions of any individuals, or body of men who choose to express them on this question. These opinions will he considered by the when framing the tariff.” Mr Massey was reminded that the Associated Chambers of Commerce and the Manufacturers’ Associations throughout the Dominion had expressed a wish that the Government would set up a commission to take evidence on this question. To this he replied ; ‘‘People who suggest that we can set up a commission to make recommendations with regard to the tariff cannot think of what they are asking. When the opinions collected by the Customs Department will have

considered the Government will frame its tariff proposals, and these will be submitted to Parliament, for its consideration. It will then be for the members to agree to the proposals or otherwise,”

The success attending the meeting of the local Trotting Club yesterday would lie very gratifying to the management, which has not been attended by the best run of luck Hitherto. Fortune seemed to turn in their favour last year, and this season to he even more openhanded. The meeting yesterday was an unqualified success from every point of view. The weather was all that could he desired and this factor dominated the whole position successfully. Trotting may now be considered well established. Next year the Club will he encouraged to offer more liberal stakes till, and the local meeting will he made one of the principal events of the year’s, sporting carnival. A pleasing feature yesterday was the large number of visiting owners, among the number being the mentor of “Author Dillon” which gave a fine exhibition of trotting. The visitors had a cordial welcome and from expressions heard to pass ,may ho expected to return to Hokitika again as the opportunity offers in the future.