The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1916. GERMANY'S LATEST MOVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1916. GERMANY'S LATEST MOVE.

The spectacle of the Huns joining hands with the lawless Sinn Feiners is one that shows to what depths of degradation and infamy Germany has -sunk in her insane hate of Britain. At the same time these two conspiring elements are well mated, and are both doomed to a common end. The expressions of abhorrence on the part of real Irishmen the world over at this latest German move clearly indicate that the lawless element in Ireland must not be allowed to tarnish the honor and loyalty of the bravest and best race in the Empire who naturally resent what has taken place, for they would no more tolerate the idea of playing into the hands of the Huns than would King George himself. What we cannot understand is the failure of the British Government to keep watch and guard over the notoriously disaffected and seditious portion of the Irish community, and be fully prepared for the event which has happened. It was well known that Germany was counting on a rebellion in Ireland, and the evidence of active sedition botli there and in America was amply sufficient to moke stringent precautions imperative. The shock of the outbreak, coupled with the attempt to land arms and ammunition, and emphasised by the German naval and Zeppelin raids came as a bolt from the blue. Had the Government, in view of the special circumstances connected with the war, taken a firm grip of the sedition nettle and crushed it out of existence, the present trouble would never have arisen, out we have to take the position as it is, and though it is far more serious than was at first thought, the Government has lost no time in making arrangements to cope with the trouble for ! the time being, at least, with a thoroughness that should be effective. The fact l that it has been deemed nccesasry to proclaim ;nartial law through Ireland indicates That the authorities have at last realised that the time for drastic actum has arrived. Political pressure might 1c brought to bear on the civil authorities in the direction of securing leniency of treatment to the rebels, but the military courts may certainly be relied upon to act with firmness, promptness, and directness in dealing with traitors and their dupes. Sir Roger Casement, the pivot of the disorder, is safely lodgod in the Tower of London, and it is significant that he ha 3 been consigned to th = apartments occupied by Oorl Lota en the night before his execution. While it may be taken for granted that the trouble can only end in ignominious failure, it lias created a feeling of intense horror that a time when, above all. others, there should be nothing to dis-' turb the oneness of aim in the United Kingdom, should have been chosen for an outbreak of this character. The thousands of brave and loyal irishmen who are fighting like heroes and giving their lives for the crushing of German militarism cannot but feel the bitterest detestation for the rebels. The war has unified Ireland in a marvellous way, the people r.i varying creeds and political parties having sunk their differences in order to help forward the one great work of defeating the enemy. This inspires the hope that they will also join hands in assisting the authorities to discover and adequately punish those who have so traitorously shown their desire to assist the enemy by an armed uprising. Nothing but firm and drastic measures will meet the situation, and it is to be hoped that tne rude awakening the Government has received will imp>'l them to adhere to the decision of allowing martial law full play so as to once and for all root out the sore which is now a biot on Ireland. Germany's latest fiendish move should only serve to In/.run (he Allies in the prosecution of iluir purpose.