The sun., 1919-04-22
IRISH STRIKE HIDES
SINN FEIN REVOLT
WOrkmen's SOviets in Guise of
Labor Committees Ruling
the Country.
INDUSTRIES HELP PLAN
Action Follows Strict Meas
ures Taken to Enforce
Military Law.
Special cdole Despatch 10 The SITS.
CODuri1kf 1nIQ. all x.oLf, rcaas,.d

'opbrNpH, lSlf, az ftDNIS reserved.
LONDON, April 21.-Through cleverly
executed plans the Irish Sim Feiners
are conducting bloodless revolution de-
signed to overthrow British rule and
establish Irish independence through
economic pressure.
This plan is based on a general strike
in all industries. with Limerick as a
base. 1t is expected that other centres
will follow the Limerick example after
to-morow's meeting of Irish labor's ex-
ecutive committee This Is fully within
the law as recognized in England, but
adapted to Ireland will really constitute
rule by workmen's soviets under the
guise of strike committees. The leaders
of the movement plan to keep the public
supplied with necessities. but to keep
the main portion of the laborers idle
until the whole country is under the
rule of the strike committees
The greatest popularity of the Linz
erick situation is the public acceptance
of what appears TO be oppression. II the
shorkeepers, manufacturers and labor
er' really wanted to assert themselves
as loyal British subjects they would re-
fuse to recognize the strike committees
permits, which they must have before
they are allowed to work. and then APP
zeal to British troops for protection and
&C ahead conducting their work under
| cover Of the guns
None has taken advantage of this
privilege, according to reports reaching
England to-day. and 1t looks like the
| strike committee Is getting the railway
rgo 70
| So far there are no Indications that the
transport men have decided to strike.
Military Rule Resented.
All signs indicate that recent ,"vel-
, opments, instead OF sprinsing from we'll
| laid plans. were immediate responses to
1 the strict measures taken by the British
| military authorities to enforce military
4 law. The Sim Feiners saw a chance to
| use these measures as an excuse for a
| strike, to be followed by the creation of
| strike committees with powers similar to
| those of the Russion Soviets. Conditions
| were peculiarly favorable for such a
move in Limerick, where the public is
| back of the strikers.
Correspondents who have been in Linn
| er.ck several days declare the city is
Just as strongly held by the Crown forces
| as Cologne, yet every shop and factory
| adheres to the committee orders, open
| ing under special permission and closing
promptly when permission expires.
| Strike pickets patrol all bridgeheads
and peasants bringing produce are
halted in the outskirts and a ticket is
given to them permitting them to take
| their wares into the city: also printed
notice warning them against profiteer-
ing.
| Such measures have already reduced
| the prices of foodstuffs. SO far the
Sim Fein has not appeared openly as
| the leader of the strike movement, but
its unseen hand is at work organizing
| the movement for real test OF strength
| when the strike committees shall have
| gained control in the big centres. It
will then be possible to issue orders
affecting the mails and the railway
| transport service. and perhaps estab-
| lish censorship over all means OF COM
| munication. to cut the cables and to
| refuse to permit ships TO land.
Rebels Have Provisions.
| 1t is common knowledge that the Sim
| Fem has been working for months stor-
| ing provisions In various centers and
| making arrangement TO ration various
communities after the general strike Is
in effect. With such preparations they
| nope 10 lOTtSldll hNcP N''N
population quiet until the system OF COM
mittees is In complete control. II they
| manage 10 feed the people the first
few days their prestige will increase and
they will then be able to face the next
logical step, that of definitely defying
the British Government
| All last week the whole of Ireland
has been watched anxiously for devel-
opments The British press is begin
ming to take notice and to point out the
seriousness of the situation. Although
keeping in mind this aspect the corre-
spondents now focking to Ireland are
wiring funny stories having to do with
the difficulty in obtaining permits from
the committee and other ridiculous de-
velopments OF committee rule.
| Even those airy reports are making
officials understand that instant action
will be necessary to prevent the success
OF the bloodless revolution. Should
drastic steps be decided upon following
the meeting OF the labor executive COM
Inlttee It will mean something like the
fighting that took place during the 1916
rebellions