Ireland's Plight.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 83, 29 July 1914, Page 5

Ireland's Plight.

SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.

MO NEARER SETTLEMENT.

SPEECH IN THE COMMONS.

LETTER FROM EARL GREY.

[By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] Times and Sydney Sun Services. Loudon, July 28.

The police officers maintain that they acted under general orders from Dublin Castle, requiring effective measures to suppress gun-running.

Earl Grey, in a letter, says the only hope of England’s effective mediation lies in unity and solidarity of the United Kingdom. Ho believes that settlement in Ireland can be reached by a measure giving the Irish powers of self-government similar to those enjoyed in Africa. -No political group is discoverable in Canada, Australia or the United States which would venture to propose that Quebec, Queensland or California should he endowed with similar Home Rule measures, with separatist, constitutional rights, whicli could not he given to other States.

IN T,H E HOUSE OF COMMONS.

[United Press Association.] London, July 28

In the House of Commons, Mr Redmond declared that the Irish executive at Dublin was in such a state of impotence that a subordinate official was able to call out the military without even informing the executive. The soldiers did a cowardly thing in firing on a motly crowd of men, women and children, and they must he fully-pun-ished if they had committed a crime. He concluded by demanding the revocation of the arms proclamation. He wished the House to understand clearly that four-fifths of the Irishmen would not submit any longer to be bullied, punished, penalised and shot for conduct that was permitted to go scot free in every Ulster county.

Mr Birrell declared that Harrell took took the whole responsibility, but be (Mr Birrell) bad since communicated whether he had associated himself with the act. (Loud Opposition cries of “Shame!”) Mr Birrell continued that “if this is to be so, it will confirm my original view that both Barrel and Ross should be suspended.”

EVERY SOLDIER INJURED.

THE PREMIER AND GUNRUNNING.

EXCITEMENT IN DUBLIN,

London, July 28

Mr Bonar Law complimented Mr Redmond upon his temperate speech. Mr Birrell’s speech he described as amazing. Mr Bonar Law asked if Mr Barrel had been instructed to permit gun-running.

Mr Asquith said that of 160 Scot' tisli Borderers not a single man or officer escaped some injury. Eighteen soldiers had been sent to hospital. When Mr Barrel took action, the arms proclamation had already exhausted itself. (Opposition cries: “That’s the limit!”) Mr Asquith, continuing, said that Customs officers had a right to search in view of prosecution, but had not the right to seize. Certainly he was unaware that the police had the right of seizure. Mr Barrel was taking an entirely new departure when he requisitioned the military to deprive persons of arms. Personally', he regarded the importation of arms as a minor offence. Mr Asquith concluded: “The difficulty' of governing Ireland has been immeasurably increased by the Opposition treating the violation of laws as a cardinal virtue.” Be warned them that if it came to a test of power they would find it an impossible task. Mr Balfour said Barrel was condemned because he had not the insight to see that as the Government did nothing in Ulster, therefore they were expected to do nothuig anywhere else. “It is wrong to condemn a man because he doesn’t see with the subtle eye to the votes which the Government have in the Commons.” Mr Ramsay MacDonald warned the Opposition of the danger of openly' allotting lawlessness. This Tory doctrine would lie remembered during a big strike.

Mr Healy said that Mr Churchill had filled the creeks and coasts of Ireland with gunboats, but gun-runn-ing was now heard of for the ‘ first time. If they got guns past the Government official who interferes then was to be condemned.

Large excited crowds paraded the Dublin streets last night, singing patriotic songs and threatening the barracks, which the Irish volunteers surrounded for two hours, not carrying arms, for the purpose of keeping order.

THE MYSTERY OF THE YACHT. POLICEMEN THREATEN TO STRIKE. (Received 8.45 a.m.) London, July 28. The gun-running yacht, which was owned by a lady with a title, and with three ladies aboard, was navigated by the owner’s daughter. Sir J. Ross, Harrel’s superior officer, dismissed Gleeson and O’Neill, constables, for refusing to obey Harrcl’s orders. Members of the Dublin force threatened to strike unless the constables were reinstated, and Un-der-Secretary Dougherty, hearing that Harrel was taking action, sent a minute to the office instructing him not to attempt forcible disarmament, but

to take the names with a view to prosecution. Barrel did not receive the note as the office was closed on Sunday. RIFLES FOR THE NATIONALISTS. FURTHER DUBLIN DISTURBANCES. THE INQUEST ADJOURNED.

(Received 11.30 a.in.) London, July 28

The Nationalists have successfidiy landed and hidden 4000 rifles at Wicklow'.

Many attacks have been made on small groups of soldiers in the Dublin streets.

The inquest on the killed was opened and adjourned on the military authorities’ application. The cruiser Liverpool and two destroyers are stationed off Howth. AMENDING BILL ON THURSDAY. DUBLIN POLICEMEN RESIGN. ACTIVITY IN NAVAL CIRCLES. London. July 2d. Mr Asquith announced in the House of Commons that the second reading of the Amending Bill will he taken on Thursday. Eight policemen who refused to charge at Dublin on Sunday have resigned. There is great activity at Ports-

mouth, men being steadily drafted from the barracks to the fleet, and the naval arsenals are strongly guarded.