Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-16
IRISH TROUBLES ARE
GRADUALLY QU|ETING
Critical Events in France I'm
posing Restraint Upon
ImpetuouS

LONDON, April 13.-There are strong
hopes in London that the Irish troubles
will undergo a gradual and pacific So
luton. An important fact is that the
menace of critical events in France
overShadows all other considerations
and imposes restraint upon even all
the factions of Irishmen and their ar
dent British supporters.
This restraint had been exhibited in
several ways. If Ex-Premier Asquith
had translated his judgment against
CONSUMPTION into a motion to reject the
governments proposal last night he
might have arrayed a majority of the
members of the house against it. This
would have meant a change of govern
ment But Mr.. Asquith considered that
an impossible thing to propose under
the present circumstances, and confined
himself to registering his conviction
that conscriptiCn in Ireland would he a
great mistake. AS a result the minor
ity which voted against CONSUMPTION
was composed of Irish Nationalists and
few Liberals, most of them pacifists
and those generally listed as faddists.
John Dillon and Joseph Devlin, who
have been Jointly filling John Red
mond's shoes as leaders of the Irish
party, might have made a much more
troublesome fight than they did. If
they had felt strongly enough to go to
extremes, they might have repeated the
old scenes of the Parnell days, when
Irish members were dragged out of the
house by the police, and popular expec-
tattoo looked forward to such action. But
they refrained from parliamentary OBJ
struction and limited their offensive to
strong words.
Both of them tempered their fight
against conscription with the statement
that they believed the cause of Great
Britain in the war was a just cause.
Mr. Devlin went further by proclaim
ing his desire to fight for it. This at
titude is bound to have an influence
in Ireland.
Sir Edward Carson. the Ulster leader,
and his Ulster followers, who generally
manage to kindle all the luminosity there
is latent among the Irish factions when
ever any Irish question is raised, also
exhibited restraint by remaining silent
instead of denouncing Irishmen who
oppose conscription, as they might have
done.
The Nationalist and Sim Fein news
papers in Ireland maintain a belligerent
tone, but Mr.. Asquith once described
this as mostly contingent and rhetori-
cal beIligerency." A striking example
was recently given by events in County
clare lieutenant IeneTdl MdHOI, COul-
mander of the British forces in Ireland,
proclaimed martial law. There were,
as a consequence, rioting and attacks
on the police. Small detachments of
soldiers took charge of the strategical
points. There has been no trouble since,
while the people have Deen very friend
ly TO the soldiers and have given them
hospitality which was unheard of in
the land-league times.
Ireland has enjoyed a prosperity hith-
erto unknown. She rs the chief feeder
for England. Her farmers are becom-
ing rich. They are the backbone of
the country. and rebellious events would
destroy their prosperity.
The Sim Feiners, of course, are ir-
reconcilable. But they represent none
of the property interests of the coun-
try.
The foregoing are the features of the
situation which cause optimism here
on the other side is the opposition OF
the Catholic clergy to conscription.
The meeting between John Dillon and
Joseph Devlin and the Sim Fein leaders,
to come at an early date, may develop
into a conciliatory influence, rather
than otherwise.