CRITICAL SITUATION IN IRELAND

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 47, 19 November 1917, Page 5

CRITICAL SITUATION IN IRELAND

SINN FEIN MOVEMENT SPREADING

WHAT THE MODERATES WOULD ACCEPT

SETTLEMENT ON BASIS OF COLONIAL

HOME RULE

0 Londorii November IG. Tho Australian Press Associations representative, who is at present visiting Ireland, writes that the situation is critical, tat hopeful. Tho crux ji tho problem is no longer, as during the past thirty years, Ulster's refusal to w>nsidor Home Me, but tho development of the new difficulty of the Sinn Fein movement, which is spreading wudnro throughout national Ireland, lhe own Fein loaders express tho wildest, ana often treasonable, views, and urge their followers to drill, and study methods and weapons of war. But the party embraces a vast number of moderate men and women, who, the representative beliavcs, will accept a settlement on tho basis of Colonial Home Rule. latter joined tho movement main'r protest against the alleged Redmondite inactivity. . . . It is almost the unanimous opinion in Southern Ireland that the, Nationalists as a party are rapidly losing ground, and. will probably be wiped out at the next general cloction. Iho by-electionfl for Roscommon, Longford, East Claro, ana Kilkenny proved that tho NationalibU have lost touch with tho peoplo. If the convention results in a settlement, new parties will spring up during tho elections for tho first Horne Buk Parliament, swamping bbth tho all °™£ ists and tho Sinn Fein. On tho other hand, the failure of the convention will almost certailv result in a great accession to tho Sinn Fein ranks at tho expense of tho Nationalists, Meanwhile tho Irish Government .is faced with the delicate problem of maintaining order as far as pos?iblo without Although violent Sinn Feinera deolaT® that Ireland is .governed by the sword, there is no doubt that tho oountry to? day enjoys a greater measuro of freedom than any other part of tho United King" dom. Food and drink are more plentiful than in England, industries, particularly afjricultnre, were never more prosperous. The United Kingdom has increased tho area under tillage during the war by ona million acrca, of which Ireland's contribution is 700,000 acres. Bv tho sido of this agricultural prosperity, discontent flourishes, fanned by agitators who aro doing their best to provoke an outbreak of disorder'by d* fving the anthoritios. Tho executive has been sharply criticised for taking, undue risks; but tho conditions sinco the rebellion have materially changed.-Ans.-N.Z. Cable Assn.