Evening star., 1918-05-23
ARRESTS IN IRELAND
FOR ILLEGAL DRILLING
Released, However, in Promises to
Quit Practice-Men Well Dis
ciplined by Sim Feiners.
BY WILLIAM n. BRAYDEN.

BY WILLIAM n. BRAYDEN.
CableEram to The Evening Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1918.
DUBLIN. May 20.-The activities of
the government of Ireland are direct
ed for the moment to the suppression
of illegal drilling and the efforts OF
those drilling to secure arms. Ar
rests for this offense were made yes
terday and the day before and today
some were prosecuted somewhere In
Ireland" The penalties imposed were
designed rather as a check than as a
punishment. for the accused were gen.
orally offered their release II they
would give bail not to do 1t again.
Sometimes they did this. but very
often they preferred to go to Jail.
The men concerned are well discip-
lined II the central Sim Fein or
ganization thinks man thus sent to
Jail would be more useful out of it,,
word is sent out. bail is given and
the man is set free. The search for
arms is diligently pursued A recent
item in the newspapers read:
Sim Feiners Got Guns First.
''The Middleton police visited sew
eral homes in Kilcorney parish for
arms, only to find that the Sim Fem
ers had been there before them"
Some time ago the military au-
thorities offered to receive and store
the arms owned by persons desiring
to be relieved of SO embarrassing
possession, and a good many took
advantage of the offer. Those who
~ Il
by the police and the Sim Feiners.
The arms collected are weird lot
and consist of anything in the ma
ture of weapon. News has Just
been received that brisbane House.
near Skibbereen. the residence of Col.
Somerville. the famous Irish novelist.
was raided for arms. There were
no firearms. and SO the raiders car
ried off six spears and sword.
Rebellion Glorified in Pictures.
Ever since the Easter week rebel
lion the windows of the stationers'
shops have contained post card and
other pictures of the leaders. scenes
lin post office and the barricades in
the streets, with ballads glorifying
the event. In all but the central
streets Of this city no stationer's or
news agents shop was complete with
out such a collection decorating its
windows. The authorities let them
alone. "Quieta non movere" ("Not to
move things that are at resto was
the motto of the Duke administration.
Now the distribution Of Irish litera-
ture is regarded as undesirable. The
newspapers announce that more than
fifty shops In Dublin. as well as in
several OF the provinces. have been
visited by the police and seizures
made Of banned pictures, notably
those showing fighting scenes and the
evacuation of the Dublin post Office in
Easter week. The distinction from
the point of view of the defense of
the -realm act between what fs taken
and what Is left Is not apparent to
the logical mind. but the fact is in
teresting as sidelight on the inten-
tions of the administration.
No Sympathy With Hun Intrigue.
The net result OF the arrests SO far
made is. generally speaking. the re-
turn to prison of those sentenced in
the Irish rebellion who were released
by Chief Secretary Duke before the
opening Of the Irish convention. II q
German intrigue exists the country
as a whole has no sympathy with 1t
and the number involved must be
very small. Conscription will still be
opposed. Nationalist leaders are not
sanguine as to the results of volun-