IRISH AFFAIRS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3384, 22 January 1919, Page 18

IRISH AFFAIRS.

THE SINN FEIN PROGRAMME. (By Cable.) The police raided the Sinn Fein headquarters at Dublin and seized a number of documents, including the draft of an Irish Constitution and the standing orders for an Irish Parliament. If the 73 Sinn Fein members do. not attend at the House of Commons they will each forfeit £4OO yearly and also the election deposit of £l5O. The Sinn Fein leaders intend summoning an Irish Constituent Assembly without delay. They will devote their first efforts to putting the republican case before the iionference. They will use the weapon of ft general strike only in the last resort.

A Dublin Castle conference considered serious questions of Irish policy calling for the utmost firmness, courage, and foresight. Drastic action will precipitate .a crisis. Everything is to be gained by delay, which is likely to make apparent the Sinn Fein ' weakness. At present native sentiment supports the Sinn Fein, but these signs of sympathy are waning. ■ The Dailv Telegraph states : Among the ' Sinn Fein plans are : —Firstly, summoning j a National Assembly at Dublin; secondly, compelling the repudiation of the ar-nuai payments for land purchased under *he Wyndham Acts, and using a boycott against the new occupiers if the present holders are evicted for refusing to pay ; thirdly, a national strike; fourthly, a, national levy on trade and property ac- j cording to the tax valuation, and using the j boycott against defaulters j fifthly, the capture of the county council and poor-law

bodies -which, control the administration, of £3,000,000. )> ■ ■-' ■ A Sinn Fein success as regards the last scheme "is almost certain, and its importance can scarcely be over-estimated, as it will- give the Sinn Fein the control of a Vast amount of contracts and patronage. I The next few months will be critical. Sinn Fein must attempt something; .on a big scale, as the rank and file insist on the leaders showing results. ' The police have seized Sinn Fein revolvers and ammunition at Camden Town (suburb of London). ..'