The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, MAY 2, 1916. THE TROUBLE IN IRELAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 23, 2 May 1916, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, MAY 2, 1916. THE TROUBLE IN IRELAND.

It is a relief to know that the Imperial forces were able to so speedily quell the revolt in Ireland and the capture, death or surrender of the principal leaders merely leaves a headless i rabble to be dealt with. The rebellion was evidently planned with the utmost secrecy, engineered by Germans and ' -Irish-American irreconcilables. These latter, who care nothing for their country’s fate in their bitter anxiety to hurt England,, appear to have taken an active, part in the preparations. The return of Sir Roger Casement with a ship-load of armaments was part of the plan, though thanks to the alertness of the officials his opportune capture took some of the sting out of the revolt. There is perhaps a tendency to blame the authorities for laxity in not having discovered the plot earlier, but it must be remembered that, over since the outbreak of the war there have been occasional evidences ol sedition, the work mostly of Sinn Feiners, and wherever they have openly made any movement prompt and effective action has been taken. Some months ago American newspapers gave hints that trouble of a serious nature was premeditated by the Sinn Fein, and it is safe to assume that the Government has been keeping a close watch, though apparently the outbreak came at an unexpected moment. While the great [majority of the people 61’ Ireland a-e with the Empire heart and soul in the ' great effort to free the world from tincurse of Prussian domination, a r o'ii paratively few armed firebrands would he capable of creating enormous trouble amongst the unarmed civilians of a great city such as Dublin. It came as a shock and surprise to learn that tin’ rebels were able to secure tlffi Post Office and the means of communication, though really there is nothing so very wonderful, in the tart. A very lew armed desperadoes suddenly appearing >n i such a place might easily terrorise the j staff of workers, and if there were i some traitors within the buildings, as 1 now appears to have been the ease, the occupation by the rebels became so much the easier. The looting of shops , and the outrages on innocent people | will do much to arouse even apathetic ' Irishmen to a sense of the hitter wrong j that these makers of mischief have ' done, and it is certain that Irish loyaljtv will he more than ever evident m the desire to wipe out the disgrace the 1 i

! Sinn Fein irreconcilablc-s have cast upon the country. These men, whose only desire is to see England go uo.;sj, made strenuous efforts to raise money in America for the alleged purpose of arming Irish volunteers, lm. they do' not appear to have met with a very 1 ready response. The lowa branch ol i the Hibernian Society, one of the many. 1 appealed to, declined to have anythingto do with the appeal unless the money was to be sent: direct to Mr Redmond. It urged that the people living in Ireland could be trusted to know what ( was for the good of the country,,and ■ that those people, in the great major- ! ity, supported the political programme l of the Nationalists. There were refer- | ences in this letter from lowa to the activities of “long-distance warriors, who have nothing at stake in Ireland, ’ and to “would-be revolutionists who

keep a safe distance from the bring line,” a pretty broad hint to the sedi-tion-mongers in America. Knowing so well the German methods it is, however practically a certainty that Gorman gold financed the venture, which, whatever its object or intentions, could only end in dire disaster to the misguided persons who took part in it. In Germany it is quite probable- that the foolish rising is heralded as Ireland in revolt, but that would merely be a German lie. Irishmen will deeply resent such a statement, and they will show more implacably than over that not England, but the Hun is the foe they seek to strike. Agitators here and there outside Dublin City, have caused some trouble, but on the whole the disturbance is likely to be confined to modest bounds. That the Government maintains a great training camp at Curragh has. turned out very fortunate in the circumstances.-