Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-08-22
IRELAND AFLAME
AT REPRESSION
Situation Is Similar to That on
Easter Day Back in
1916.
DEFERRED ONLY BY FORCE
T. p. O'Connor Declares the British
Governments Policy, or Lack of
Policy Is Reducing the Nation
to an Inferno.

London, Aug. 1S.-Force of arms
Seems to be the chief deterrent to an
other Irish rebellion, comparable to the
great Eastern uprising of 1916. Ad-
vices from Ireland indicate no lack of
rebellious sentiment, highly famed by
the repressive measures which the
government has undertaken to enforce
with considerable bodies of troops.
The proclamation declaring illegal
the Sim Fein organization of County
Clare caused ominous rumblings of the
storm which once broke over Sackville
street. The policy of the British gov
eminent remains as obscure as ever,
but it is regarded as likely that the
County Clare proclamation is merely a
sample of similar edicts which will I'M
dertake to exterminate the republican
movement throughout the land.
Expect Dublin Castle to Act.
The ban on Sim Fein has already
been enunciated in Tipperary, but
Kerry, Cork and Limerick are veritable
hotbeds of rebellion and it is expected
that Dublin castle will attempt to en-
fore similar proclamation in those
counties.
In North Kerry and Tyrone there
are prosecutions against Sim Feiners
for unlawful drilling and assembling"
the specific charges being that Sim
Fein republicans" are engaged in mil
itary training with a view to fitting
themselves to beat the British
Until Lloyd George makes his speech
there will be no clue to the real mean
ing concealed behind this sudden ac-
cent of ''firmness" in Ireland. Even
then he may parry the point, but it is
regarded as certain that he will dis
cuss the situation in some terms how
ever indefinite.
In parliamentary circles it was re-
ported that since Dublin caetle en-
barked on the repression" campaign
the Sim Fein element was doing it's
utmost to effect an organized resist
ance to British administration.
Lay Agitation to Government.
AS usual, however, there were
charges by Sim Feiners in London
that the alarm is an official creation,
perpetrated in the hope that the people
will rebel, thus giving an excuse for
ruthless military measures" These
Irishmen claim that the latest British
move is a calculated "atrocity'' where
by the government hopes to provoke
Ireland into a fight and then scatter
the Sim Fein organization. The ire
pression," it was pointed out, deprives
a peaceful people of all rights of free
citizens, wiping out the civil courts and
substituting no better tribunals than
courts-martial wherein the alleged de-
| tenders are tried before their enemies
''This is only another stage of the
Irish policy-I should say lack of pol
icy-of the British government" said
| T. P. O'Connor in London 1T is re-
ducing Ireland to an inferno and the
story is so old that l cannot under
stand how anybody can fail to realize
| that Ireland is now placed in the cen.
| ter of a vicious circle in which repres.
ates repression AMI so on ad infinitum.
1.-The same policy has many times
| produced disastrous results and it will
continue TO do so until some British
government finds the courage to strike
at the roots of the trouble and satisfy
the national aspiration of the Irish
people for a voice in their own affairs
Conditions Similar to 1916.
"The present intimidation is exactly
similar to that of 1916. Dublin castle
made its decision under the influence
| of reports from disaffected areas eX
actly the same as those which once be
| fore reached Chief Secretary Birrel
| just prior to the Easter rebellion, wher
Sim Feiners, openly defying the gov
ernment, carried on campaign of out
rage and intimidation against the po
lice and all others who tried to supper
the authorities.
"Only the presence of large forces o
| troops and the Sim Feiners' lack o
arms are now keeping down the dan
ger of an uprising"