The sun., 1919-10-23
IRISH SAY BRITISH
SEARCH US. SAILORS
"Republic's" Agents in Paris
Lay Charges Before Secre-
tary Polk.
sEE.MovE TO HURT TRADE
Steamship Lake Cretan Unable
to Get Return Cargo After
Arrival at Dublin.
By a ssor Correspondent o, rnr sus

Coptrf0hf, 1919; all rt0hts fesefpee.
PARIs, oct. 22.--Representatives Of the
so-called Irish republic here have filed
with Under Secretary Polk, as head OF
the American Peace Commission. and
with Ambassador Wallace. copies OF So
cret orders alleged to have been issued
by British officials in ireland requiring
that all sailors on American ships who
landed In ireland should be searched.
One of these orders, which was inter-
cepted by the Irish oficials Of the ''re-
publican government" the genuineness
Of which they vouch for. is dated octo-
ber and is addressed to boat staffs.'
It is signed by wedgeworth Johnstone.
chief Dublin Police Commissioner. 1t
reads:
Sailors on all American ships now
must be searched and a report made In
each case. Only American ships coming
to Ireland are to be thus treated"
Another document filed Ia an alleged
secret order issued by Johnstone to the
superintendent Of the Dublin detective
bureau as follows:
please issue instructions to the boat
stan that articles Of each member OF
the crew Of every vessel coming from
the United States Of America to this
country are to be examined carefully
ana u report Iuruisncu III cdCh SooS VI
the result"
Messrs oKeiiy and Duffy. who say
| they represent the Irish Republic here
| allege In a letter that this Is part Of an
! effort by the British to prevent the es-
| tablishment of direct shipping between
| the United States and Irish ports. which
was attempted recently by American
| shippers friendly to the Irish cause. In
Iasking Secretary Polk and Ambassador
| Wallace to bring the case to the notice
Of the American Government the Irish
| say:
| "As your excellency may be aware. a
| vigorous effort Is being made by tho
| Ministry OF Commerce of the republican
| government OF iceland to revive direct
commercial relations between ireland
and the United States These have met
| with considerable success and steam
| ships from the United States with
| American cargoes are calling now at the
| ports Of Dublin. Belfast and Cork.
The elected Government OF the Irisf
Republic deeply resents this attempt &c
| interfere with its efforts to revive and
develop closer commercial relations be
I tween Ireland and the United States q
the profit and advantage of both corn
tries. II Is significant that these secret
| Instructions refer only to shipo hyint
the American nag. and our Government
feels assured that It is for the purpost
Of retaining in England for English in
terests and to the exclusion Of Americs
| the profits derived from the Irish trade
that these instructions were issued"
| The steamship Lake Cretan Is cited a,
an example; she arrived from Americs
with a cargo for Dublin and Belfast. bu
| could not get any return loading be
cause. II is alleged. the British censor
ship prevented her Dublin agent and tn,
American Consul from communicating b!
cable with the United States. Also II
charged that the vessel was compelled
to pay the same charges that she woult
have paid had she gone to Liverpoo
and the cargo had been transshippet
| from that port to Dublin.