IRISH NEWS

New Zealand Tablet, 17 July 1919, Page 31

IRISH NEWS

v,:-V :/; v . GENERAL. \ The Mayor of Limerick (Alderman O’Mara) recently applied for a- passport to America on business connected with his firm (O’Mara Bros., bacon curers), but was refused by the Foreign Office. The Yorkshire Post says Mr. Cecil Harms worth, M.P., will shortly go to Ireland as Chief Secretary. The present occupant of the position, Mr. MacPherson, is generally acknowledged to be a failure. ; The death is officially announced of Captain Forbes, Royal Irish Regiment. Captain Forbes was son of the late Earl of Granard, and brother of the present earl. The Granards are a Catholic Irish family which has suffered many losses during the war. It is proposed to make the Cork University College an independent university, and a Bill for this purpose has been drafted. The Sinn Fein M.P.’s for Munster are making a vigorous protest against the proceedings of the promoters, on national grounds. President Wilson has sent a special letter to Father Robert O’Loughrau, thanking him. for his book, “Redmond’s Vindication.” lI.M. the King of the Belgians has, through his secretary, sent a letter of thanks to Father O’Loughran for all he has done for the Allies, and especially for my suffering country.’’ The Provincial, ‘ Dublin, lias been notified by the War .Office that Captain Rev. Rupert J. Roche, C.F., 0.P., Liverpool Regiment, is not missing, ns formerly stated. Father Roche is a native of Cork, and, before going on active service, was Professor of Philosophy at Tallaght House. On February 6, a letter was received from Father Roche from North Russia, stating his life, was in danger, and that he had little hope of getting through safely. Writing about the middle of April, the Dai/// Xetm correspondent says: — “Limerick is like a besieged city to-day, all intercourse with the outside world being stopped through a general strike, the result of the city being proclaimed a ‘military area.’ The strike involves all workers from street sweepers to clerks, and every branch of trade and industry ; 15,000 organised workers are idle. The bishops and leading clergy state, in a public letter, that the military action is unwarranted.

THE NEW WITNESS ON IRELAND. The English Government in Ireland should write a handy guide on how to stimulate revolt, and to persuade foreign countries that the revolt is a revolution. A. judicious tyrant would have had his house in order, if only for the occasion of -American delegates’ visit. We may admire the honesty which chose just this one day lor a spectacular, piece of tyranny ; we can but weep for the intelligence. The incident has gained little notice in the English press ; and but for Mr. Kouis J. Walsh, it might have escaped our attention. Briefly, it was this: Shortly before the hour when the American delegates were due at the Dublin Mansion House to meet the members of the Dai I, a number of military motor lorries, filled with troops in full: service kit and trench helmets arrived in Dawson Street armored cars with machine guns patrolling in the rear, . Cordons of soldiers with fixed bayonets were established round the Mansion House. One volley was fired over the heads of the crowd, and many persons were thrown down and trampled upon in the consequent stampede. When the American delegates arrived, escorted by de Valera and Griffith, the two Irish leaders were stopped by the military, and the delegates therefore, remained with their hosts until the cordon was withdrawn. The object of this i very onsiderable military , demonstration was said to be the search of the Mansion House for prescribed persons. : The search was actually made, < but there were no captures. : Had Messrs, de Valera and Griffith staged the scene as an example of how Prussianism in Ireland works, it " could not - have "'been'- 1 better done. If - the rumor that this shockingly foolish move was . the work .. ... J- , ;!r ;

0f..., some subordinate officers should prove correct, it will point to lack of, discipline in the garrison. If it be a fact ’ that the Viceroy as soon : as he heard of it promptly stopped the folly, ’ he will not be absolved; unless he punishes the delinquents as promptly. iCI -' 4 -s. There is ,a very pretty quarrel on in East AntrimMr. G. R. Hanna declares that he ' has been offered £4OOO and ‘ the promise of a job if he. will stand' down: Major ' Moore challenges any man in the’ country to prove it. Mr. Hanna responds that any man who says he did not get that offer is a liar. The offer was made “by one of Major Moore’s sub-agents.” What astonishes us and delights us is that in Ireland the incident should have aroused such indignation. In England such things are a commonplace ; though, of course, £4OOO and a. job would be a very good price for so simple a Service. As far as ,we can recollect, it was only £IO,OOO that was named by the Party Caucus, according to Mr. Stoll, as the price, of a title. V But probably corruption has not yet made such headway in Ireland, even in Carsonite circles, as it has over here, and the prices at present rule high. For we take it for. granted that somebody offered Mr. Hanna that money, though Major Moore may have known nothing about it. And that person must have behind him others not without wealth and influence. There’s a job thrown in, you know ! - Sir Francis Vane sends in the following notes; “If tire crowded and enthusiastic meet digs which; I attended at the Essex and Chandos Halls are to be taken as samples of present Irish opinion, I confess that it will be necessary to readjust our outlook. It will be remembered that in the many articles which. I have had the privilege to contribute to the New Witness , it has always been held that while the demand has been tor complete separation, yet this was only another way ot stating the just claim of Ireland for autonomy. In fact, the righteous cry; Ireland a Nation, did not mean necessarily disconnecting herself completely from the Commonwealth of Nations, which we. rather absurdly call the Empire. The audiences last night and the speakers—clerical and lay —allowed of no hope for any such development as a State under Colonial Home Rule, but rather that of a free and independent Republic. In truth and deed the wind has turned East. Far from deprecating the claim of Ireland for selfdetermination, on the contrary, I have always enforced the fact that this was the only, possible claim in logic which she could make, but I believed that this right, when granted, would .not be exercised to its full extent. I do not think so now. No doubt the stupid blundering involved in military rule in Ireland, has forced the pace, lor some of the stories recounted by Mr. Sean MacEntee, M.1.P., of what is really taking plkce, if accurate, beggar expression in denunciation. A child of 12 arrested on his way from school and hidden in a police barracks for three months without his parents being informed, a sick man shot by a constable without adequate provocation, military bayonet charges on unarmed crowds, etc., would seem to be incredible in any country west of Suez. There seems to be no doubt of the fact that the continuance of martial law in Ireland is there, as everywhere, creating for the Empire a situation as cruel as it is undignified. t Just as Sir John Maxwell, three years ago, by his ruthless revenge, made Sinn Fein the only party, and Colonial Home Rule the only policy, so the continuance of martial law is making, or has made, Republicanism the only ideal. Unfortunately, Mr. Ginnell, M.1.P., was not present, being apparently engaged in trying to prevent the soldiers in Athlone from bayonet-charging crowds of men and women, but there was no doubt about the enthusiasm of the meetings— of the opinions of the men and women i present-—opinions which, if universal in Ireland, will no ■ doubt give Mr. George , some sleepless nights and many bad quarters of an hour in the daytime with. President Wilson.” .AM XXijt ' kX