THE IRISH PROBLEM

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 15

THE IRISH PROBLEM

MR DE VALERA BREAKS SILENCE LONDON, January 11 Mr de Valera has broken silence bypublishing a long statement m the Insn Bulletin, the secretly-circulated Sinn Lein organ. Mr de Valera attempts to discredit t'n •- recent White Paper and denies that there was any German plot in 1918. He says : “ The document on army organisation attributed to me is not in my handwriting, and I did not compose it. As the Government states, the discovery- of the whole plot was due to Sir Edward Carson. The British Government, by sheer audacity oi lying, is trying to deceive the English people and foreigners." Mr de Valera makes no effort, however, to counter the detailed evidence contained in the White Paper. January 15. The Star states that Dublin Castle is aware of Air de Valera’s movements an! activities in Ireland. He will not he arrested unless he delivers seditious speeches. SINN FEIN CAMP ATTACKED. LONDON, January 11. Troops attacked a Sinn Fein camp in an isolated position at Garrybawn, in Monaghan parish. There was a considerable exchange of shots, and the Sinn Feiners fled after having apparentlysuffered casualties. No arrests were made. PEACE MISSIONS. LONDON, January 11. The Australian Press Association is officially informed that Dr Mannix is making overtures to the Government through intermediaries with a view to establishing an entente with the Sinn Fein. The Government attaches no importance to Dr Mannix and regards his overtues as futile. It is believed that Father O’Flanaghan’s mission was a failure owing to his inability to show that he had any definite authority from the Sinn Fein organisation. SINK FEINERS REPAIR ROAF S. LONDON, January 11. The military at Tullamore ordered prominent Sinn Feiners to repair the roads around the town, where trenches had been dug by- the Republican army. AN UNWELCOME ENVOY. SYDNEY, January 12. Air Osmond Thomas Grattan Esmonde, who arrived by the Makura claiming to be on a mission connected with Home Rule, and who was refused permission to land either in Australia or New Zealand, has declined to take the oath of allegiance. He said he was here in connection with Irish affairs, but declined do state what those affairs were. He is taking a legal opinion on the question of the Customs authorities not allowing him to land. The regulations under which Air Esmonde was refused permission to land were gazetted on Monday- last, making it appear that the action in his case was determined upon prior to the arrival of the Alakura. The Alinisters in Alelbonrne declined to make any comment on the case. SYDNEY, January- 13. The Federal authorities state that Air Esmonde will be allowed to leave the Makura if he takes the oath of allegiance. Mr Esmonde refuses to submit to what he terms such an indignity. In a statement to the press he states that he is a natural-born British subject, travelling on properly vised and authenticated British passports. He holds a passport from Lord Curzon. His brother made the supreme sacrifice at Jutland. He was rejected for active service as being medically unfit. He prefers not to land in a country which places such humiliating conditions cn him. SURVEY OF SITUATION. LONDON, January 13. The Dublin correspondent of The Times in a survey of the attitude of Ireland towards the Home Rule Act states that only an eleventh-hour amending Bill can make it acceptable to all sections of the Irish people; otherwise, in the opinion both of moderate and extreme Sinn Feiners, it will be impossible to arrest the drift towards anarchy and despair. Hardly- anyone shares Sir Hamar Greenwood’s optimism, and nobody but a few moderate Unionists are willing to give the Act a trial. The current talk of peace and disarmament merely- obscures the real issue. Moderate Sinn Feiners who were willing to come to reasonable and honourable terms have made common cause with the extremists, as they do not see in the Act any prospect of success. They state that they are tired of the arm’s length sparring between the Prime Alinister and the semi-official and unofficial representatives of Sinn Fein, and they- now make the important suggestion that the Prime Alinister should issue a definite statement of the fiscal and other concessions which he is prepared to make. These could then be submitted to a plebiscite of the Irish people, and if they- were accepted and incorporated in the Act, then it would have every prospect of success. The correspondent learns on good autho ritv that the Irish Labour Party, which now wields an extremely- powerful Influence, welcomes the idea." and it is also believed that the < al It aders are not opposed to it. There is no doubt that with.:a( some arm ndment the Act will have little prospect of success. SINN FEINERS IN AMBUSH. LONDON, January 12. 1 The Sinn Feiners derailed a train in a

wild stretch of country in West Donegal by placing large boulders on the line. When the train left the rails 100 Sinn Feiners lying in ambush fired into it. [ The woodwork was riddled and the windows were broken. The troops replied vigorously and the Sinn Feiners fled. It is believed that several were wounded. No casualties were recorded among the troops. Five of the attackers on the troop train in West Donegal were killed and a number wounded. Several explosions .were arran-ed, but instead of the train being derailed where the rebels were entrenched on_ the ground overlooking the spot the driver continued until the troops reached a spot above the assailants. The latter were then compelled to quit their trenches and fight at a disadvantage. Three bombs were flung at a policy lorry passing along Bachelors’ walk, one of Dublin’s leading thoroughfares. Two of these exploded. The police immediately opened fire with rifles and revolvers. Shots were fired in reply- from a side street, apparently- by Sinn Feiners. There was a wild stampede of people in the streets near by-, and several women fainted. One Sinn Feiner was seen to fall, but his comrades carried him away. There were no police casualties. ESCAPED PRISONER SENTENCED. LONDON, January- 12. J. Walsh, the Sinn Fein AI.P. who escaped from the Alountjoy Prison 18 months ago and who was arrested in Dublin about a week ago, has been sentenced to five years’ penal servitude. IRELAND AND GERAIANY. ECHO OF 1914 PLOT. BERLIN, January- 13. The Freheit publishes the text of the treaty made by the German Foreign Office with Sir Roger Casement in December, 1914, providing that the German Govern ment would form an Irish brigade composed of prisoners of Irish descent, who would wear an Irish uniform and fight exclusively under the Irish flag. The officers would temporarily be Germans, but later Irishmen from America would be appointed. After a German naval victory an attempt would be made to land on the coast of Ireland. If they- w-ere unable to disembark, the brigade would be used to attack the Suez Canal. Germany undertook after peace was arranged to assist the members to America or alternatively to give its utmost aid in support of an Irish Government if formed. The Freheit adds that the recruiting for the brigade was a big failure. Only 54 Irishmen enlisted to August, 1915. AFFRAY IN DUBLIN. LONDON, January 14. Five persons w-ere wounded in a fashionable district in Dublin while the military were searching motorists. Apparently - bomb exploded, and the military- and the Sinn Feiners exchanged shots. The police deny that their fire wounded anyone. COWARDLY ASSAULT IN THEATRE. LONDON, January 13. During the performance of a” pantomime in the Empire Theatre, Dublin, three men seized Air Kennedy, a military clerk, who was standing behind the stalls. They dragged him outside and shot him, but the wound is not dangerous. They then escaped in a motor car. Air Kennedy’s wife w-as sitting in the stalls. She rushed to his assistance, but witho ic avail. Alany of the audience fled from the theatre. A “PLANT” DISCCWERED. LONDON. January 13. A patrol at Blarney, noticing a Yvoman running across a field and drop an object, investigated and found a Lewis gun. Further investigations disclosed a number of dugouts, and also a quantity of arms and ammunition and military equipment January 16. The woman at Blarney wore steel body armour under her blouse. She was also in possession of a service revolver and automatic pistol, both of which were loaded. _ There was a four hours’ fierce fight with rifles and bombs at the police barracks and at the hospital, County Limerick, which ended in the repulse of the assailants. Numerous assailants were beaten off in attacks on the police barracks at Dundrum, Annacarty, and Limerick Junction. The police wore ambushed near Ballymahon (Longford). Two were wounded. Relief parties have been sent. POLICE SERGEANTS KILLED LONDON, January 13. Men in ambush near Limerick killed two police sergeants and wounded two constables. KING'S COUNSEL AIURDERED. LONDON. January 14. Air William APGrath, a leading" King s Counsel, was shot at his Dublin home, and died later. The outrage is mysterious, us Mr APGrath did not participate in politics. Air APGrath, who was president of the Out of-Work Fund Committee, said before his death that he had to turn down many claims, and if he should die these people would be responsible. FURTHER SENSATION IN CORK. LONDON, January 16. The military made 60 arrests in Southern Armagh. Sergeant Alai lift and Constable Ryan, returning to barracks after attending a football match in Cork, were shot and dan gcrouslv wounded. Their assailants are unknown.

OUTRAGE IN ENGLAND LONDON, January 15 Three constables frustrated a ■ carefullyplanned attempt to set fire to the Vacuum Oil Company’s depot at Wandsworth, in which were 60,000 barrels containing 2,500,000 gallons of oil. Three men were seen loitering at midnight on Friday m the vicinity of the depot. When chal- - they fired several shots with re voivei’s, but did not injure the police. A dozen other men had scaled the wall of the depot by means of a rope ladder. These rail out on hearing shots, and the police pursued them, but all escaped except W ilfrid Kenny, a clerk, who has been charged with attempted murder and arson. The police found in the depot a large quantity of cotton waste ready for setting alight. Oil was also leaking from a dozen barrels, in which holes had been pierced. It is believed that Sinn Feiners are responsible. AMERICA AND O’CALLAGHAN. WASHINGTON. January 15. The State Department and Labour Department have finally agreed to the deportation of O’Callaghan, who will be compelled to leave as soon as a steamer is available. In the meantime O’Callaghan is testifying before the Commission of One Hundred, which is receiving tales of alleged tortures inflicted on women and children by the "Black and Tans,” and also other atrocities. Ignoring the State Department’s order for the deportation of O’Callaghan, and despite the official announcement that an agreement has been reached, Air Wilson, the Secretary of Labour, has ordered O’Callaghan to be given the status of a sailor with permission to land and to re-ship-Secretary Davies has announced that an immediate investigation will be made into the incident, w-hich amounts to open war between the State and Labour Departments.