IRISH DISORDERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 63, 14 March 1918, Page 5

IRISH DISORDERS.

THE REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT.

A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY.

MILITARY POWER EXTENDED. (Received 8.40 a.m.) LONDON, March 13. Lord Salisbury, in the House of Lords, moved that the present situation in Ireland had become a danger to the Empire and a menace to the successful prosecution of the war and to life and property, and calling on the Government to enforce the law. He paid a tribute to the Government's efforts, but the existing treason, disloyalty, and anarchy, and the attitude towards the war proved the danger of establishing any form of selfGovernment. in Ireland. He instanced the victimisation of soldiers, the destruction of bridges, the insults to the National Anthem, and the demonstration against the American sailors. Lord Salisbury declared that the trouble was all due to administrative feebleness. The Government had been afraid to touch the leaders, and anarchy had now reached a point which had become intolerable for any civilised country. The conditions were much worse than the public was permitted to know. Disorder had spread far beyond Clare, and was now rampant in Limerick, Tipperary, and Galway. It would become more general unless put down in Meath. He warned the Government of the danger of Sinn Fein attempts to create a Republic. A Federal solution was the only solution, but the Government meanwhile must maintain order. Lord Sydenham criticised the Government's negligence and apathy in Ireland. The position was largely due to German influence. Lord Curzon, replying, gave an assurance that the Government would take no step leading to Irish separation. Mr H. E. Duke (Chief Secretary for Ireland) had the Government's unqualified support. Sinn Feinism had rarely overBtepped the mark until December, and the agitators' acts could be treated with contempt from a military point of view. There had been many arrests and prosecutions, but the lawlessness had been exaggerated. Lord Curzon acknowledged the Irish Catholic bishops' assistance. In order to save Ireland from lawlessness and civil war, armed force could easly be applied, but the results would be incalculable, and might accelerate, not stifle, the conflagration. Political agitation had been replaced during the last few months by criminal conspiracy. An earlier attempt to use, force woulld not havo carried public opinion with it. The military had now been given full power in the disturbed areas, with instructions to disperse meetings of agitators, arrest leaders, and strike at disorder. Lord Curzon regretted the painful necessity of giving this power. Lord French's report confirmed the good results of strong action. The disturbance had boiled over, but had not yet cooled. He could not say how long military measures would be necessary, but the Government was determined to enforce the law. The Government's policy might not be heroism, but it was sanity and common sense.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.) The " DailyNewe" Dublin correspondent states that many Irishmen expect Mr. Dillon's first action will be to renew the advances made recently to Sinn einers not to contest by-elections until the general election, when it will he possible to test the feeling of the country. Mr. Dillon passionately desires to restore unity of national endeavour. The Sinn Fein may now be willing to meet him half-way.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.) I»XW NATIONALIST LEADER. LONDON, March 13. Mr John Dillon has been unanimously elected the leader of the Irish Nationalist party, in succession to the late Mr John Redmond.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.) Mr. John Dillon, who is 67 years of age, was educated at the Catholic University, Dublin, and is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. He was attracted to politics by the return to Ireland of John Mitchel, a political assaciatc of Mr. Dillon's father, John Blake Dillon, in the troubled period of 1848. Mitchel (grandfather of John Purroy Mitchel, ex-Mayor of New York, and uncle of Sir Willfam Irvine, a present figure in Australian politics) was returned for Tipperary, John Dillon fighting vigorously for him. The election was declared void because Mitchel was an "unpardoned rebel." Mitehel suddenly died, and John Dillon was 1 elected to the vacant seat, and thus stepped on to the "perilous stairs of Irish politics." Since 1885 he has sat for East Mayo. His political career has been full of incident, and he has been suspended in the House under three successive Speakers, and imprisoned under both a Liberal and a Conservative Government, namely, in 18SS and in 1801. He was an active promoter of the Land League, the National League, the "Plan of Campaign," the "No Rent" manifesto, and later of the United Irish League. He declared against the leadership of Parnell after the O'Shea divorce case; was chairman of the McCarthy section of the Irish party in 1896, 1897 and 1898; and in 1901 occupied Mr. John Redmond's leadership of the United Nationalist party. As a speaker he is incisive, logical and persuasive, and on the hillsides in Ireland he has moved multitudes; while in the House of Commons he always commands attention. He has several times visited America in the interests of his party, and visited Australasia in 1889. For the last year he has been practically leader of the party, owing to Mr. Redmond's illness. In matters of principle he is stern and unyielding.