New-York tribune., 1918-05-21
Si11y, Feiy1 Names
Nezu Officers to
Replace Prisoners

NCLD OH7CerS TO
Replace Prisoners
LONDON, May 2o.-No fresh devcl-
oopments Sunday in the Sim Fein af-
fair have been reported, except the ar
rest at Belfast Of Maud Come Nc
Bride. She is the widow of Major John
Mcbride, executed in May, 1916, after
the Easter rebellion.
Very few news kilograms are arriv
ing from Dublin, but they report every
thing quiet, at least outwardly.
With the arrest of Count Plunkett,
four of the six Sim Fein members of
Parliament are under arrest. The
other two are DR.. McC~rtan, who is in
Washington, and Lawrence Ginnell,
who is serving six-months' sentence
in Mount Joy prison. Among others
Christopher Mullins, who are charged
with the unlawful possession of explo-
sives at Brttas, few miles outside
Dublin. Fcardar O'Hourihane and
James O'Brien, editor and manager of
"The Skibbereen Southern Star" also
arc in custody.
Vice President Morris and the re-
naming heads of the Sim Fein organi-
zation issued the reply to the procla-
nation which the British government
published Saturday. The reply says
that Participating such action, the
standing committee of the Sim Fein
movement during the enforced, and
what must be made temporary, exile Of
our leaders"
The Sim F6iners have nominated
Professor John MacNeill and Alderman
Kelley, we'll known member of the
Dublin Corporation, to the places in
the organization made vacant through
the arrest of Professor de Valera and
Arthur Griffith.
A dispatch to "The Times" from
Holyhead says that forty-six Sim Fein
prisoners arrived there on warship
Saturday night, under an armed escort
The men were marched quickly and
quietly to camp near the town, where
they remained over night. The Count
ess Markievicz was taken to the police
station and turned over to the deputy
chief constable, who yesterday morn
ing left with her for London. Other
prisoners are expected at Holyhead
With the exception of Professor de
Valera and Countess Markievicz, who
appeared to be detected, the prisoners
did not seem to be distressed by their
arrest
The Dublin correspondent of "The
Times" telegraphs:
For some months knowledge that a
new conspiracy was maturing weighed
upon the country like a nightmare.
Tangible evidences of it were numer-
Gus Private houses had been looted
systematically for arms. Large guam
titles of high explosives had been
stolen from the quarrics and ware
houses, policemen had been attacked in
broad daylight and robbed of their
rifles, and local orators had boasted
publicly about the coming defeat of
the Allied forces and the emergence of
an independent Ireland from the ruins
Of the British Empire
Agencies Working Among Ignorant
THE intangible evidences of subtle
Subterlanean mischief were even more
sinister. No sane man doubted that
some agency or agencies were working
among very ignorant, credulous peo-
PIE 70 produce temper from which
anything might be expected.
Public excitement and unrest have
become even more intense than in the
last weeks before the rebellion of 1916.
IL is certain that the recent endemic
OF silver boarding was engineered to
some malignant end.
Inc rebellion of 1916 was fomented
py Germany. All Irish loyalists long
nave been convinced of that. Germany
IS IS at tne ne bottom of the present trou-
Dies. They long have suspected that
plans exist somewhere for coonerat;on i,u,
between rebel lrishmen and German
landing on the western or southwest
ern shores of Ireland.
NOW that the government has con-
nrmed its conviction of German
plot, 1t Is relieved rather than fright
ened by its warning. 1t is assumed d
mat the Irish government has sub
stantlal evidence of the existence of
a =: German plot. l have reason to be-
1I: lleve that the publication of part of
thls evidence will be made Immediate
ly; that its authenticity is bevond
question and that the character Of its
source is bound to have a very impor-
tant influence on the political situa.
ton in Ireland" 0''0">
III IS very necessary that this be
Done" The Times" continues. "if onIv
10 olspe! the clouds of sensational rn.
NOR which gathered last week. The
arrests are only the preliminary steps
s. anu tne government will be we'll ad-.
,Lseu ,L 70 oisclose at the earliest time
the substance of the evidence on which
they were made.
unnecessary delay would be real
misfortune. Thousands of Irfsh dunes
should know Immediately by unques. -
tlonable proof that they are unwittinp
instruments of movement sted supnorte { &
by German gold 1t is natural to sun
pose that men who find they had been
duped will be eager to wipe ''ou out 'th,. the
stain on lreland's fair name"
we understand the government has
conclusive evidence" says "The Daily
MAIL MAJ In regard to the Irish arrests
The danger to the Allied cause should
not be underestimated The Germans
clearly hoped that at the supreme mo-
ment OF the gigantic offensive which
they are now preparing the Sim Fein
would hamper our forces and distract
our efforts by great insurrection in
ireland. The new executive in ireland
has moved so swiftly and courage ousiv
that we may hope the conspiracy has
been paralyzed. "'
I'm the measures taken the Irish OK
ecutive has followed (though on ,
smaller scale) the precedent set b1
Abraham Lincoln, who when dealins
with sedition swiftly and resolutelv ar
rested many hundreds of danrerou,
persons and kept them in prison With
out trial SO long as the peril continued