The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-03
POLITICS IN OTHER LANDS

TUlIIiCS IN UIHER LANDS
The Sim Fein revolt In Ireland. the
establishment of revolutionary gov
eminent In Greece. the proclamation
of Poland as an independent nation by
its Teutonic conQuerors and the res
toration of the republic in China, con-
stituted the most important develop
ments of a political nature In coun-
tries outside of the United States In
1916
An official mandate. issued March
-, announced the abandonment of the
Chinese monarchy and the restoration
Of the republic which had been dis
placed by the monarchy during the lat
ter part of 1915. Yuan Shi Kai an
nounced his rejection of the emperor
ship and resumed the presidency of
the republic. June 6, Yuan Shi Kai
died suddenly and Yuan LII Hung be-
came president
The Sim Fein rebellion in Ireland
was precipitated on April 1S, when Sir
Roger Easement, former consular Off
Ger of the United Kingdom, was cap
tured while attempting to land In Ire
land from Germany and a German
ship loaded with arms to be used In
an Irish uprising was sunk while at
tempting TO land the arms. April "a,
the Sim Fein rebels seized parts of
Dublin and serious fighting In the
streets followed. The revolt spread,
and on April u martial law was de-
clared over the entire island. April
%, loyal troops took st. Stephens
green in Dublin from the rebels. cap
turing 400 of them, and the following
day, Peter Pearse, president of the
Irish Republic" surrendered. The
next day the main body of the reb-
els surrendered, May 3, Pearse, Thomas
j. Clark and Thomas McDonagh. lead
ers of the revolt, were executed In the
Tower of London, after being found
guilty of sedition ut a military trial.
Ten other leaders of the rebels were
executed during the next few days.
June '26, Sir Roger Easement was
placed on trial for treason in London.
death June % and the sentence was
executed by hanging in Pentonvile
prison, August 3. Following the Sim
Fein revolt, an effort was made by the
government to bring about compro-
mise which would result in the grant
ing of home rule to Ireland at once
but the effort was fruitleSs.
The revolutionary movement In
Greece, which resulted in the fOrma-
ton of a provisional government by
former Premier Venizelos, grew out of
the refusal of King Constantine TO
be drawn into the war on the side of
the entente allies. September u, the
island of Crete seeded from Greece,
and on September Is, Former Premier
Venizelos and Admiral CoundOuriOtiS
issued q proclamation declaring the
establishment of a provisional govern
ment for Greece.
The independence of Poland, which
had been wrested from Russia by leu
tonic arms, was proclaimed by Ger
many and Austria, November 5.
An important development in far
eastern politics was the announce
ment, July Z, of the signing of 81 Jap
Russian convention declared to
provide for the mutual safety of the
two nations and the protection Of
their mutual interests in the far East
The Japanese foreign office announced
that the convention did not threaten
the open door in China and would not
affect American trade and interests
in any way. September 5, new de-
mands made by Japan, which were
construed as threatening the integrity
Of China, were revealed. October 3,
the japanese cabinet resigned and the
emperor entrusted the formation Of 81
new cabinet to Count Terauchi, who Is
regarded as the leader of the element
favoring an aggressive military policy
for Japan, especially with reference to
China.
The death of Franz Josef, emperor
Of Austria Hungary, which occurred
November 81, was expected In some
quarters to be productive of events
of far-reaching importance from a po-
litical viewpoint in the dual monarchy.
United States marines were landed
In Santo Domingo and fought several
engagements with rebel bands. Finally
conditions In the island became so
choatic that, on November %. the
United States authorities proclaimed
a military government of the country.
This was expected to pave the way for
establishing in Santo Domingo such
financial and police protectorate as
the United Stdtes already exercises
over Haiti.