THE ISLE OF UNREST.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 220, 16 September 1919, Page 5

THE ISLE OF UNREST.

RAIDS IN IRELAND. LABOUR CONGRESS DEMAND. By Cable.—Tress Association. —Copyright.) LONDON, September 14. Eight hundred of the Royal Irish Constabulary and 200 soldiers participated in last Friday's raids, which numbered over 00. The Bull's from Cork relieve : the Shropshires at Fermoy. I The Trades Union Congress unanii mously adopted a resolution, moved by | Mr. .j" H. Thomas and seconded by Mr. R. Smillie, of sympathy with Ireland's demand for freedom and with Labour's Irish brethren in their hour of repression, and calling on the Government to abandon military rule and introduce selfdetermination as the only means whereby the Irish people can work out their emancipation.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.) The "Irish News," Belfast, says that Lord French, prime mover in the present wretched business, is nothing better than a poor pliant instrument in the hands of the Carson gang. I Mr. Griffiths (Sinn Fein Vico-Fresi-idont), in a speech at Dublin, said that he did not care a rap for tho suppression of the "Dail Eireann." So long as they were the people's representatives, neither gaols, bullets, nor bayonets would prevent them carrying out their trust.— (A. nnd N.Z. Cable.)

MARTIAL LAW LIKELY OVER LARGE PART OF IRELAND LONDON", September 15. Dublin correspondents anticipate a declaration of martial law over a portion of Ireland. Five shots wore fired at Detective lloey in Dublin by a number of men who surrounded him. One shot entered his throat, and he died en route to the hospital. The "Standard says that it is believed in Dublin that the murder of Detective Hoey inaugurates a settled intention to remove all policemen and detectives who were recently prominent in prosecuting Sinn Fein agitators.— (A. and N.Z.) A policy of violence was begun by the Sinn Fein three months ago in pursuance of their avowed aim of scouring an Irish Republic. Discussing their methods recently an English writer said: —"At the moment Homo Rule is not an issue in Trish politics. Practically no one asks for it. Sinn Feiners arc out for an Irish republic, and say they will accept nothing short of it. It a Home Rule Parliament were set up the majority of ■the members, who at this moment would be Sinn Fein without question, would as their first act declare Ireland a republic, no mutter what safeguards the Imperial Parliament might provide. Sinn Fein is out to make government impossible in Ireland. The moderate clement desire to attain that end by passive resistance by refusing to pay taxes and by preventing local administration. Nut long ago tho moderates were submerged under the influence of the physical force section, and the' latter hold tho field. They are working with tbe Bolshevik element in the Labour movement, and both are acting with the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Irish volunteers. Tho Irish volunteers continue to drill in secret. Their numbers are not known, but as there are nearly 1400 Sinn Fein clubs in Ireland, with a membership approaching 120,000, tho Irish volunteers are undoubtedly a large force, practically ; every Sinn Fein clubman of military ago j being a volunteer. They are organised ,as military bodies, but they have not ! undergone more than an elementary (training, aud it is unlikely they would !be called out to resist trained troops. I Another rebellion like that of 1910 is not j expected so long as a powerful force of ; troops is kept in Ireland. Openly Sinn j Feiners do not show so much hostility |to soldiers as to the constabulary. I Speakers at Sinn Fein meetings often use ' violent language against the police, and !it is certain if the constabulary wore left I without adequate military support tin j country would be thrown into chaos. Ii; j none of tho recent murders in which ■ police wore the victims have any person* ! boon brought to trial. Persons may b< suspected of committing the murders but it is impossible to obtain evidence ' and at Wcstport, after Mr. Milling, th( resident magistrate, was shot, the pcopli of the town maintained a conspiracy ol j silence, refusing to say one word about j the murder."