Evening star., 1916-04-30

Two conditions have led to the most
| recent outburst against the govern
| lin and other Irish provinces and the
renewed agitation in regard to recruit
| ing. When compared to the crisis In
the Emerald Isle the recruiting issue
| though more important in the present
| European war, as the question of get
| ting enough men, without discrimfna-
tion between classes. to press the great
| serious one.
| But the two issues have brought the
coalition government again face to
| face with a crisis of serious proper
ing the governmental reins in the hands
OF single party.
The big event which has unleashed
the fioodgates of bitter criticism is the
revol u tion in
Say Officials Ireland. revo-
| luton which, it
the opponents of Premier Asquith. could
have been avoided had a policy of firm
ness and not vacillation been pursued
from the beginning. According to anti
| government agitators. the weakest sort
| of pretentfons have been pursued in
dealing with the Sim Feiners of Dub
lin and other Irish provinces, despite
their continued open defiance to the de-
Tense Of the realm act and all things
| British in the present war.
The government has maintained a
policy OF great secrecy as to the actual
Developments. but nevertheless the
world has obtained a pretty accurate
picture Of revolutionary events in the
| Irish capital.
The Sfnn Fein moyement has been
growing in Ireland with the years.
until today 1t is so strong that it dares
openly defy the British rule and the
so-called clericalists of the island. AL
though Ireland long has fought for
home rule in one guise or another
there has been sharp cleavage among
her people largely on religious lines.
the Rrotestants of the north and the
Catholics Of the other sections fight
ing each other: always refusing to
ing they might have stood in the
way of aationalistic aspirations The
Sim Fein movement-typically identi-
fed fed BY by the name alone; which which signi-
ing to take sides in either religious
camp. but hewing closely to the
| original purpose of promoting nation
all things British in Ireland-has at
| tracted tens OF thousands Of followers
| since 1t was inaugurated-
During the present war the Sim
| fSlneTS nave refused TO take part III
| recruiting meetings: have openly scorn-
| ed British efforts and purposes in the
present European war; have steadfast-
ly by printed word and determined
nS" msnt in The" the way % Of British efforts to
obtain the support of the Irish people.
They have fought as only the Irish
know how to fight when they are
principle. But in their singleness of
purpose they are said to have been
carried away with their Jealous en-
thusiasm and into the belief that their
| sort to arms. At any rate while the
Sinn Feiners have been educating Ire=
land up to their propaganda they also
have constantly been preparing for re-
sort to force to gain their ends at the
psychological moment.
| I, is the fact that Augustine Birreil,
chief secretary for Ireland. some months
ago reported to
Birrell Report Fails MS cover government
to Stir Action. hotbed of Sc
dition, his report receiving. hgurativeiy
speaking, mere shrug Of the coalition
| shoulder. that has aroused the people or
| england They declare that had the
| coalition government acted at that time
| when the facts were plainly apparent, and
not pursued a policy OF drifting. the Dup
lin affair Of today would not have to be
added to the unhappy pages OF Britain's
| history.
openly defyjng British innuence ana ei-
moment to strike. and this moment ap-
parently was well timed with the at
tempted landing Of Sir Roger Easement
| on the west coast with arms and ammuni-
"a believe.
BY the German government. The arrest
Of Sir Roger and his German cohorts in
the gun-running expedition Immediately
was followed by determined uprising
! IN Dublin where the main buildings Of
the, city were seized after sharp fight
ing and communication with the world
cut off by the Sim Feiners The mere
fact that the rebels were able to seize the
post ONCE and other more important
structures in the heart Of Dublin. despite
the activities of British troops. Irish 10y
strength of the movement through prepa-
ration for the outbreak
1t makes no difference whether Great
Britain has or will successfully suppress
the outbreak, the fact remains that the
| clash will work to the disinterest of both
the Irish and English for generations to
come.
The Irish will not be quick in forgetting
what their party. was spilled by British
soldiers. Ensland's distrust will be felt
in more stringent military regulations
| Throughout ireland.
| Such conditions, 1t Ii believed, can do
| nothing else but promote the discord, and
strife and misunderstanding which have
prevailed between the Irish and English
people from earliest times.
1t is the far-seeing ones of Great
Britain and ireland that now are
lamenting the apparent ignoring of the
| Sim Fein movement to the point
where military action and consequent
blood letting were essential to Quell
the movement.
The possible consequences are de-
clared to be faryreaching. The whole
Irish question which England desires
to solve and which Ireland desires set
tiled for all time. seems further from
solution, according to a large portion of
lthe British press.
| Hence the renewed attacks on the
coalition government.
| k&
David Lloyd George continues to loom
up as possible successor to Premier
| AsQuith in case
Lloyd George the present
| Iaovns Tn S<ronoer "ehe