REVELATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1921, Page 5

REVELATIONS.

GERMANY HELPS IRELAND. ACTIVITY DURING THE WAR. TROOPS COULD NOT BE SPARED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Jan. 9, 5.5 p.m. London, Jan. 8. The Government has published a white paper of sixty pages, consisting of captured documents and intercepted messages, showing the telose relations between Sinn Fein and Germany during the war. The documents include much secret correspondenqe between Count von Bernstorff, German Amba_ssador at Washington, and the German Foreign Office regarding the progress of the revolutionary movement in Ireland, based on information from Irish-Americans. Sir Roger Casement’s activities are also closely detailed. Germany agreed to land arms in Ireland and partially sujceeedes. £>inri Fein declined a renewed offer to land arms after the suppression of the Rebellion in 1916, as another rebellion was hopeless without the assistance of troops, which Germany was unable to spare. The documents include memorandum on army organisation by De Valera, outlining the methods of raising and training an Irish army of 917,000 men. In reply to a message on St. Patrick’s Day, 1918, from a German-Irish society, the Kaiser said he was following with keen interest and lively sympathy brave Ireland’s fight for freedom. He was proudly conscious that Germany’s sword had already led a procession of nationalities for freedom.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ARMS FROM SUBMARINES. BRITAIN KNEW OF THE PLANS. SECOND REVOLUTION FAILS. Received Jan. 10, 12.10 a.m. London, Jan. 9. Early in February, 1917, Britain received information of a German plan to land sixty thousand rifles, ten machine guns, and six million cartridges, and the Government took adequate steps, 1 with the result that the consignment did not reach Ireland. Germany, in August,. 1917, again refused to send troops. The authorities ascertained early in 1918 that the Germans were landing arms and ammunition from time to time on the west coast of Ireland, and leading Sinn Feiners believed that another revolution would bring Ireland’s case before the Peace Conference, and independence would follow, the intention being to divert troops from the western front. It was definitely ascertained in April, 1918, that the plan to land arms in Ireland was ripe for execution, the Germans only awaiting information from Ireland regarding time, place, and date. The British Government was able to warn the Irish command that a German agent named Dowling would probably be landing , from a submarine, and he was arrested. The plans for a new rising depended largely on the disembarkation of munitions from submarines, to follow the anticipated success of the great German offensive in France. The Government learned that seven closed railway cars arrived at Cuxhaven on April 26, and their contents were rifles and machine guns, which were transferred to' two large submarines, but the consignments did not arrive in Ireland. After the arrest of De Valera and other leaders in May, German intrigues with the disaffected Irish continued and German propaganda leaflets and pamphlets were disseminated in Ireland and many were found in possession of Sinn Feiners.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.