New-York tribune., 1917-07-29

to appeal TO the masses with radical
measures; who are fearless, defiant
and scornful of the Nationalists and
hostile to England, and who are play
ing the game of the Unionists by hold
ing aloof from the convention in eX-
pectation of downing them later. VI
the men under thirty-fye years, those
not now Unionists are turning into OF
already are Sim Feiners.
After war-rdden London Dublin IS
an oasis. There is no conscrlpton IN
Ireland. 1t is the shirkers paradise.
There are no drinking restrictions, no
anxieties over air raids, no women
trolley conductors; prices are INFINITELY
lower. sugar is more plentltul and
lights burn brightly at night.
Yet England's unrest is negllglole
compared with Ireland's. In England
there is little danger of an armed rev.
olution. The Provost of Trinity Col
lege, DR.. Mahaffy, tells me Ireland was
never so rich. The farmers never
reaped so large harvest of gold, nor
have mechanics before received such
high wages. Food prices have IN
creased, but incomes have doubled or
even trebled. Meat is from TO cents
a pound cheaper than in London, ana
bread, milk, vegetables and eggs are
also sold at lower prices. Sim rem
napers. which are sold publicly, harp
rnon the increase of prices, laugh 70
scorn rumors of the introduction OF
conservation, breathe hostility to Eng
land. and allude 10 the German ar
raids by propounding such conundruhs5
as (Which is the great city referred
TO in the Apocalypse that Will be com
pletely destroyed in day =
Call for Republic
All this is calculated TO give the I'M
nression that ireland IS on the verge
of anarchy, but | think that would De
tho wrong deduction. Ireland IS un-
likely 10 follow Russia's lead, because
the Irishmen here are not war weary.
Tho GREAT masses of the republicans
consider the war merely as a weapon
by which they hope to obtain certain
objective. The Ulster men denounce
the Sim Feiners as traitorous eXtrem-
lists. and say that England must decide
between permitting Ireland to become
a republic and allowing the present
situation 10 continue, with coercion
being used when necessary. Always
thew cry "republicanism, knowing IL
to be red flag to the Englishman.
They see little hope and little cause
of a middle course. But all SIM rem
ers are not advocates Of republic
at least not all Of those / have met.
If England should have Labor gov
eminent, which is not beyond the range
Of nossibility in the near future, these
so-raIled moderate Sim Feiners would
ioin the bulk of their party IN a move
ment for an Irish republic. Just now
they are using this slogan as the maxi
mum Of thsir demands ou' tney expect
less.
The populous centres of the north
arc doing their bit in furnishing SOL
diers. making munitions and building
ships. But the same cannot be said for
the south. There is no idleness and
no republican movement in the north,
but there is extreme bitterness toward
Sim Feinism. Ulster expects support
for England in repayment for her 10y
altv during the war, and she feels that
she needs il now. With the power and
the prestige of the Nationalists rapidly
disappearing, Ulster is faced with
new foe which she has been unable as
vet to size up.
Now. take the Catholic clergy. For
wears they supported the Nationalist
but retarded its growth be-
cause it's complete success meant the
weakening of their power and de-
crease in the grants they received from
England To-day many young priests
openly support he Sim Feiners agi-
tating for a republic.
Religious animositV has reached un-
believable heights in Ireland. For IN
stance, there is the case Of man
killed by railway train, when coro-
ner's Jury of six Protestants and SIX
Catholics was called to the inquest. In
the hearing it was developed that the
engineer was Protestant. The six
Protestant jurors found verdict OF
accidental death, while the six Catho-
lies held out for wilful murder.
This same spirit runs through the
political life of the country. ireland
as a whole will give little assistance IN
the prosecution Of the war. The big
hone is that she will become less OF a
drag That Is the most that can be cX-
pected. Irishmen. in America are sup
porting the Sim Fein movement. Many
say that German gold Is being supplied
TO the rebels, but these same people de-
clare that the Russian reaction IS due
10 German intrigue, and refuse 10 rec
ognize that a democratic wave IS turn
ing all countries topsy-turvy, breaking
down all traditions and customs.