The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14


N UBLIN. December 1S.-6special)
D Opinions differ widely as to the
merits of the agitation now being
carried on by James Larl<in, the Irish
leader of the Dublin strikers. At the
opening of hostilities between the tram
workers and the employers, Larlin was
regarded very much as any other leader of
a small strike would be, but subsequent
events, and especially his Imprisonment
and almost immediate release by the Brit
ish cabinet after an acknowledgment by
Lloyd George and others that he had been
the cause of the loss of hundreds of votes
for the government, have forced him
into the public limelght in an astonish-
ing manner. Now it cannot be denied
that this warm hearted, earnest, fighting
Irishman is at the moment the biggest and
most important labor leader in the coun-
try, destined probably to exert tre-
mendous influence on the workingman not
only in Ireland. but throughout the whole
of Great Britain. And some sane observ-
ers believe they see something more than
that in the man-the leader in a great
class revolution.
however lHlS may De- Is an IN
tensely interesting personality. Tall and
gaunt. about 40 years of age. clean shaven
and wearing a great, nat-brimmed, slouch
hat. he possesses wonderful individuality
and an enormous power as a platform or
ator. He is essentially fighter, both
physically and mentally, and in truly
Irish style has fought with employers,
$ labor party leaders, priests and even his
own followers.
Few men understand jim Larllin, his
mission and plans better than the writer
OF the following article, II. M. Tomlin-
SON correspondent of the London Daily
News and Leader, the mouthpiece of Eng
lish radicalism. was at the side of the
Irishman during the stormy days leading
up to his trial and his now famous i'm
prisonment 1t was with the idea of se-
curing a sympathetic and illuminating
statement of 'Larlsin and Larkinism'
that your correspondent arranged with
Mr.. Tominson to write the following spe-
cal article
Some people who really do not want to
see the signs of change are compelled
to admit today-being wise enough to
know that If building gives evidence
of collapse it is better to get outside soon
and inform the police-that alarming
proofs of internal torsion and stress are
being shown by the British nation. There
is great change coming. There have
been political and social revolutions be-
fore; but it seems it is to be the work
of Great Britain to show the world, for
the first time, the way to that change
of so much vaster consequence, the eco
nomic revolution. The amending of kings
and parliaments, or the making of repub-
lies, are az nothing compared to the ele-
walton and succession of a nation to it's
own country, and its countrys wealth; the
coronation, If you like of Demos. But
those in England who confidently expect
signs and wonders in the sky, wall no.
tices In supernatural light, to herald all
great happenings in human affairs-as
though a seraph should appear in Parlia
ment and announce to the country gen.
tlemen and millionaires, quite politely and
even apologetically, that their mundane
deliberations were about to be interrupt
ed by immortal renovators, for time
such Britishers are still waiting for their
revolution to begin. They are unaware
that when. flushed and patriotic, they
declared war ON the Beers, they then re-
leased forces which had been aeeumu-
latine for at least century, forces which
rushed first to destroy the South African
! republics-no more than a mere willful
gesture of exuberance, made as released
prisoner dances-and which now, still ris-
Ing IN strength of more profound and
dynamic volume, may create another Eu-
ropean republic. and much else, before
suhsiding. The British social and eco
nonsic revolution began with the Boer
war.