New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-03

/ TO night rather than be MADE part OF
/ Home Rule ireland. They are sup
ported by most Of the English Con-
/ servatives. 3. Conspirators and avow-
ed enemies OF England, INCLUDING
| some Sim Feincrs, some old Fenians
and some Revolutionaries, who were
! intriguing TO help the Germans or any
I one else who would iniure the British
| Empire.
Now, il is obvious that ordinary
| loyal Britishers can have no dealings
with this third class, least of all at
/ time when we are fighting for our
! lives, and thousands Of loyal lrishmen,
both Catholic and Protestant, are Civ
! ing their lives for US in the trenches.
Aud, further. it is obvious that, when
! ever the constitutional demand for
Home Rule seems 10 fail and the Irish
begin to lose hop, this third party OF
treason and violence will be strength
ened. 1t is to this third party that
+ Easement and the Dublin rebels be-
longed.
Roger Easement had been in the
British consular service all his life.
He had done good work, received pro-
motion, been treated with confidence,
been awarded knighthood and had
written letter of almost excessive
gratitude for it to the government. Just
before the outbreak OF the war he got
away from England, r,ssed TO Ger
many, and gave the Germans all the
information he was able TO give 10
help them in destroying us. In particu-
lar he was employed to seduce from
their allegiance all Irish soldiers who
were prisoners in Germany. These
poor fellows were promised immediate
freedom and high pay if they would
ioin the Germans and help 10 invade
Ireland: they were fed with the most
detailed and infamous lies against Eng
land; if they accepted Easements pro-
posals their. food allowance was in
creased. if they refused his proposals
thew we're starved. To their Infinite
credit il must be said that only some
forty or fifty men out of several thou
sands gave way. On the contrary, Case
ment was more than once booted out
Of the camps. and had on occasion TO
be protected from the indignant prison
ors by a German sergeant. On one oc-
casion. one Of his associates offered to
betray Easement TO the British govern
ment. The offer was, OF course. accept
ed. Whatever one may think of the
man who offers to betray his associ-
ates. no government in the world would
refuse such an offer II II was made TO
il. The man, however, did not carry
out his plan.
The Landing in Ireland.
At last all was ready. On April 20
Easement was landed on the west coast
of ireland from German cruiser
laden with arms. The cruiser was
caught By British destroyers and sank
itself 30 conceal something mat ~
contained. the crew was saved. Next
tod a
shore with q companion, heavily armed
and giving false name. On the oath
a bloody little rebellion broke out IN
Dublin. All police and soldiers even
wounded soldiers from the hospitals
we're shot down at sight, and great
number OF peaceful citizens killed or
wounded The dead amounted 10 some
hundreds At the same time a German
I squadron attempted a raid on the east
coast of England. but was routed by
the local destroyers and small craft.
There was an unsu ssful rising At
Enniscorthy which was put down by
the spontaneous action of the irish
Nationalist Volunteers. There we're
attempts at risings m other parts or
ireland and attempts against the rail-
ways in England II was not until
Nav I that the whole rebel force sur
rendered uNtOHu4NlOHdliGs - biAtth :"
whole week Dublin had lived under a
reign of terror. For the rising, though
containing a number of leading Sim
Feincrs and sentimental Irish enthu-
siasts, was chiefly carried out by Wild
labor men who had been disowned by
the trades unions and by actual Grim
mails These men used explosive bull
let's and committed some acts of great
cruelty.
Raid Ends in Arrest.
The German raid was defeated, Case.
rent arrested. the rebels in ireland
put down What was to be done next
Two answers were possible. Punish
the rebels" said the Ulstermen and
the English Conservatives; "annul the
Home Rule bill. send forty thousand
soldiers 10 ireland. and uphold the law.
Let there be an end of paltering with
treason" Grant Home Rule az once"
said the Nstionalists and the English
Liberals: remove all possible excuses
for mistrUst And guilty as they are
give pardon to all the rebels you pos
sibly can" What was Mr.. AsQultn TO
do His whole object was 10 psclty
ireland. and that could be done only
by finding a course 70 which both par
ties would. however reluctantly agree.
The course ultimately approved was
I'D to punish a small number OF the
rebels. who had personally been most
deeply engaged in the bloodshed, and
so maintain the rule OF the law. Eigh-
teen men were thus put TO death. ~
To satisfy the national demand or four
ifths of Ireland by putting Home Rule
into force at once. All "ioyalist or
Protestant Ireland had been reused to
- ntthffp fpcmrrprffnn and
10 was almost impossible to win their
consent TO this grant Of Home Rule.
II was hard also 10 persuade the Ma
tlonalists 70 make any concessions.
However. Mr.. Lloyd George was set TO
the work OF persuading both parties
I'M ireland 10 agree 10 some settlement.
If the rebels had not been punished
Ulster would not have listened 70 him.
At last Lloyd George induced the Ul-
stermen 20 agree TO Home Rule for the
rest OF ireland on condition that lister
should not be forced into the scheme
without her consent. and the National
ists to agree % the exclusion OF l lster
provided the whole arrangement should
be reconsldered by an imperial confer
ence after the war. This was the basis
Of q compromise which had then TO be
aid before the Cabinet, and which IN
fortunately came out OF the NaOiue'
in a slightly different form than with
which il went in. fierce dispute is
now raging about the changes IN the
scheme; but they seem 10 me 70 be
only points of detail and easily capable
Of arrangement by sensible men. The
main point that remains Is the question
of Easements fate.
Easements Status Argued.
He was tried for high treason in Lon
don in June He had fair and even
generous trial. His advocate, Mr.. Sui
Iivan was allowed unusual latitude. A