New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-09-06
eace of Erin
Hangs. On ate
of MacSwii1lev
Success of Dublin Confer.
ence Believed to Rest ON
the Outcome of Hunger
Strike Of Mayor of Cork
Reprisals If He Dies
Boycott of Ulster Assumes
Grave Proportions; Press
Opposes British Policy
BY Frank Getty
Special Cable to The Tribune

Copyright. 1920, New York Tribune Inc.
DUBLIN, Sept. 5.-The movement
toward settlement Of the Irish prob
lem has come to complete standstill.
Upon the fate of Lord Mayor Mac
Sw1ney of Cork, who to-day reached
the twenty-third day of his hunger
strike in Brixton prison, depends the
success of the latest effort to pacify
this island-thc effort of the Dublin
peace conference"
Nothing constructive can be accom-
plished until the outcome of the moral
struggle between the Lord Mayor and
the British government is known. Cap
tain Harrison, General Gowan and Lord
Shaftesbury, all leaders of the moder-
ate element in Ireland which is striv-
ing to effect settlement, say that
their hands are tied until the affair
is settled one way or another.
And if MacSwiney dies-even though
the length of the hunger strike has
taken the edge off of active resentment
in this country-there will be, in all
probability, such series OF Individual
! reprisals as to render the possibilities
of a peaceful settlement remote.
Uprising Not Anticipated
eel Nothing resembling a general upris-
ing is anticipated in case MacSwiney
dies. The Sim Fem leaders are the
last persons in the world to want to
defeat their own ends by permitting an
abortive outbreak which would be
doomed to failure before it began, and
the time is past when an uprising
would have come spontaneously. Per
haps it might have been possible ten
days ago. put it isn't now.
Everybody and everything in Ire
land to-day seem to be waiting for the
result of the Brixton prison hunger
strike. Constructive measures pro-
posed by the standing committed of
! the peace conference, such as the
means of feeding and heating Irish
cities in the event of coal strike, have
been laid on the table pending the set
, Element of MacSwinev's case.
Two important undercurrent move
ments, neither of which is making for
peace, are continuing from day to day
, One is the boycott of Ulster, which Is
, spreading throughout the south and
west and is now assuming proportions
that are alarming to the bankers and
business men of the north The for
mer are especially hard hit, as funds
are being withd drawn daily from Ulster
banks. The necessity for reciprocity
in the matter of trade prevents the
Nationalists in the southern counties
indulging in complete boycott of
Orange goods, but financially Ulster is
paying heavily for the actions of the
north, which have driven 5000 Catholic
families from their homes in that part
of the country.
Raids by Military Increase
( The other unfortunate movement
which is afoot in Ireland is the dis
eliminating enforcement of the Res
, toration Of Order Act, commonly
known as the Coercion Bill. Raids by
the military are increasing in fire.
quency. The "Black- and-Tans," as the
| khaki-clad military, who wear black
caps, are called, are welding their new
powers with no gentle hand.
/ The comparative quiet and absence
of murder in the last few days must
not, however. be attributed to increas ed
efficiency Of the forces of law and
order through the bill. The quiet can
be accounted for by the SUSPENSE over
MacSwiney. If he dies the Ineffective
ness of trying to rule Ireland with an
/ iron hand probably will be demon
/ strated. Moreover there is the posi-
bilty That some high British official
! CONTINUED on next pase)