The Washington herald., 1920-04-08

born In GeImany. was interned by
the British government.
|. Backing the extremist faction Is
the Irish volunteer army. which as
a semi military organization Is the
chief support of the Irish Republic
can party. This organization of ex-
tremists and patriotic young Irish
men has been carrying on a policy
of intimidation and a murder-a-day
campaign. MacCurtain, 1t will be
recalled. shortly before his murder
expressed himself against this cam
paign.
Post Warning PIacards.
Besides blowing up police bar
racks and setting fire to govern
ment buildings, this organization
has placarded Southern Ireland with
warnings of which the following ex-
ample, posted on walls and build
ings throughout Limerick county,
refers to the police:
shoot the peelers. Any person
or Sim Feiner found talking TO
peelers will be shot at sight as trail
tors. Also, girls who are keeping
company with peelers are hereby
warned that IL seen again the con-
sequences will be serious. Take
heed.
by order of I. v. A."
The rank and file naturally know
nothing of this schism and are all
devoted to the cause of independ-
ence without being concerned with
the leaders secret politics. The
British government, too. probably
had something to do with bringing
about disagreement among the Sim
Feiners, and as a result of the
schism. Sim Feiners do not know
who to trust and have become sus-
picious of their own organization.
Perhaps because of this break,
coupled with wholesale arrests by
the authorities of extremists who
planned the rebellion and expected
to lead II, the Easter revolution has
failed to materialize.
The Irish volunteer army has
been preparing for months for an
outbreak and has been manufactur-
ing ammunition, even powder, and
today I was shown homemade dunn
dunn bullets. The authorities have
also uncovered shells for mortars
which the army had manufactured.
In connection with seizures in
Scotland, the authorities confiscated
in homes. during recent raids. cam
paign plans ard instructions re-
garding the use of artillery shipped
from Germany to Scotland for use
here. 1t is believed by the authori-
ties that the Irish army has close
connections in America, not alone
because of agitators sent here, but
| because of cartridges confiscated on
board ships.
Strong Secret Service.
That the Irish republican move
ment has a powerful and extensive
secret intelligence department is
evidenced by the documents seized
and by warnings issued to citizens,
beginning. according to informa-
tion reachipg our intelligence de-
partment." etc. For instance. dur
ing recent weeks large numbers of
secret circulars, pamphlets, propa-
ganda and documents have been
distributed. These were printed in
Glasgow and smuggled into Ireland
through channels the government
has yet failed to discover.
Although my information comes
! from reliable sources. one cannot
wholly discount the extent and in
! fluence of the Sim Fein movement.
| In Southern Ireland the public un-
| doubtedly sympathizes with Nthe
| Sim Fein and unless the schism be-
comes more pronounced and the
! leaders begin to quarrel publicly.
/ It may not affect the whole organi-
: Zation. Although the Easter up
rising did not materialize as planned
and expected, there is no reason to
believe this is the end of the revo-
lutionary movement.
An Irishman, to whom I talked
today, voiced the general feeling
when expressed surprise that
nothing had happened after all the
talk and plans. He replied, 1T
isn't because our hearts are not
/ in it,"
(Copyrirht. 1870 BY Public Ledger Col