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New Zealand Tablet, 3 October 1918, Page 30

IRISH NEW

GENERAL. The closing exercises of a retreat recently conducted by the Dominican Fathers at Lorrha, Tipperary, Ireland, were held in the ruins of the Dominican Abbey. The abbey was founded in 1269 by Walter De Burgh, Earl of Ulster, and for over- 500 years was owned by the Dominicans. The process for the beatification of two Irish Capuchins who died for the Faith in Ireland has been formally opened in the Sacred Congregation of Rites. The martyred priests are Father Fiacre Tobin, of Kilkenny (died 1656), and Father John Baptist Dowdall, of Ulster (died 1710). Cardinal Moran treats of both in his well-known work. Persecutions of Irish Catholics. The American naval authorities are building a big base hospital at a port in Ireland for sick and wounded sailors, to be manned by the Red Cross, with a staff brought from America. A big residence has been taken for the* main building and sectional huts are being imported from America to give room for additional beds. The site is an ideal one for convalescents. The New York tree-man's Journal, which is in its seventy-eighth year as a Catholic publication, and which has ever espoused the cause of Ireland, announces that because of difficulties with the censor it will not appear until its editors “can speak as Americans, as Christians, as free men.” Thirteen of its recent issues had failed to reach its readers because the censor had withheld them from the mails. Mr. Joseph King, M.P., has received from the Irish office a return showing that 228 prisoners were arrested in Ireland exclusive of the prisoners deported to England and now in English prisons— Under Crimes Under Act. D.O.R.A. Before May, 1918 ... ... 61 36 During May ... ... 11 12 During June ... ... ... 73 35 CRIMELESS IRELAND. The Manchester Guardian's special correspondent in Dublin, commenting on the light Assize calendars in Ireland, says that the great majority of the Irish judges are drawn from the small minority of the people, with a decided leaning towards resolute government as known at the Castle. Admittedly the bag is very light this Assize, but two allowances have to be mademany cases which would have come before an Assize judge in England are tried by court martial in Ireland to-day. “The Irish Assize Court partakes of the nature of the political meeting, with the judge as the star turn and the grand jury (nearly always drawn from the Unionist side) as an appreciative audience. The judge usually has an interview with the County Inspector of the R.1.C., and his report of undetected crime and general happenings is the basis of a political revue from the judgment seat. So far, despite heavy prejudices, it has been generally favorable to the state of Ireland. In several counties the judges have had to receive white gloves, and in face of that some rather querulous questionings about the validity of the emblem do not count.” THE CENSORSHIP AND THE MANIFESTO. Publication in the press of the Mansion House Conference address to the President of th%, United States was, Mr. Shortt informed Mr. Roch in the English House of Commons, temporarily suspended by

the Irish censor, under his instructions, in order that time might be given for its consideration. Where matter “was submitted to censorship at a late hour it was impossible to guarantee that corresponding action could be taken in both countries. The question disclosed how publication forbidden in Ireland on the Fourth was permitted in Great Britain, but Mr. Shortt, further questioned, said there was no distinction made “except,” as he put it, “that we in Ireland were perhaps, so far as I know, a little dilatory in considering it.” The Drew Witness (London), dealing with the Irish message to President Wilson, says: “The thing most terrible, and yet in a sense most hopeful, about the Irish address to President Wilson is the fact that it so tragically reproaches England with the number of Irishmen who have fallen for their faith in* the Allied cause. “What the ordinary American will say, as between Belgium and Ireland, depends upon what Englishmen do, and that is why what wo do is almost horribly important.” • 1 THE COLLAPSIBLE-BOAT PLOT. Lieutenant Dowling, “The Collapsible-boat Man,” has been found guilty by a London court martial and sentenced to death. The death sentence has, however, been commuted to penal servitude for life by King George. “The most surprising thing about the Dowling trial’ (says the Manchester Guardian ), “has been not what it disclosed, but what it did not disclose.” According to the official statement issued on May 25, in explanation of the arrest of Sinn Feiners who are still in prison—-in other words, the story of. the ‘plot’— Dowling was the pivot upon which the plot turned. ‘About April 19’, says the statement, ‘it was definitely ascertained that the plan of landing arms in Ireland was ripe for execution, and that the Germans only awaited definite information from Ireland as to the time, place, and date. The British authorities were able to warn the Irish command regarding the probable landing of an agent from Germany from a submarine. The agent actually landed on April 12, and was arrested.’ This was Dowling. “Now, not only was Dowling not charged with his connection with the plot, but not a word was said at the trial about it. On the contrary, all the evidence showed that nobody in Ireland came to assist him or shelter him. and that he wandered about, got drunk, and changed his suspicious money in the ordinary way. There was not a vestige of the plot. Nevertheless, Home Ride has been jettisoned and coercion reinstated on the strength of the plot story. There is something here that requires explanation.”