The Washington herald., 1920-09-05
Sim FEIN ARMY
EAGER TO FIGHT
Michael Collins, Military
Leader, Holds Power
Among Extremists.
is SURE OF SUCCESS
Declares All Who Advocate
Peace With England
| Are Traitors.
BY c. ii. BRETHERTON.
(WashinEton HeraId-PubIic Ledger
Service, Special Cable Dispatch)


Cwashington HernId-PubIic Ledger
Service, Special Cable Dispntch)
Dublin, Sept. 3.-The schism in
Sim Fein is today becoming more
evident. As a result it may be said
only one thing stands between Ire
land and peace and that is the Irish
Republican army.
For some time the difference Of
opinion has been manifesting itself
among the Sim Fein leaders, the
moderates, among whom are includ-
ed the absent President de Valera.
Arthur Griffith, John MacNeil, Eamop
O'Neil and others, are convinced
that Ireland can get the substance
of freedom within the empire for
the asking and should not throw 1t
away for sshadow of republican
independence to which Great Britain
will never agree.
Collins RuIcs Party.
The extremists, on the other hand,
of whom Michael Collins is ac-
knowI edged to be the STRONG man"
maintain that an Independent repub-
lie can and. will in the near future
be realized and that any Sim Fein-
er who at the present juncture
agrees to take less is a traitor to
the cause.
The question at the present time
has not gone far beyond the aca-
demic stage. Arthur Griffith, act
ing president of the Irish Republic,
has issued a semi official statement
declaring he no longer has any con-
troll over the movement and to all
intents and purposes washing his
hands of it and declining RESPONSE
bility for what may happen in the
future.
Michael Collins, on the other hand,
has issued a sort of an ultimatum
threatening that If Arthur Griffith
and his moderate clique in Dali Ell
reann cabinet take advantage of
their majority to adopt the policy
of accepting less than complete in
dependence on behalf of the Sim
Fein party. he will break away
from the Dali Eireann. carrying
with him Irish volunteers and the
Irish Republican Brotherhood, both
of which he controls.
Cleavage Exists.
On this cleavage of opinion in the
Sim Fein ranks, the case of Lord
Mayor of Cork has the most i'm
pOrtant bearing. Arthur Griffith
knows that the refusal of Lloyd
George to release MacSwiney, in
spite of all appeals made to him. is
the result of the unqualified rejeC-
tion by Michael Collins of his over
lures of peace.
The mayor of Cork is stilI alive at
the time of this writing and is an
officer holding a high rank in the
Irish Volunteers" He is pledged
to the hilt to support Michael Col
Inns and the cause of unComprOmis-
ing republicanism.
Watches Mnrtyrdom.
Michael Collins believes that the
martyrdOm of the mayor of Cork
will bring innumerable converts
from the moderate into the eXtrem-
ist camp. And that belief is no
doubt well founded.
The execution of Connolly. Pearse.
McDonough. after the rebellion of
1916 turned hundreds of thousands
Of NatiOnalists into Sim Feincrs.
The death of MacSwiney may well
turn many thousands of Sim Fem
.ers into fanatical republicans.
The weapons of the Irish Repub-
liCan army control Irish public opin-
ion today and as long as these weap-
land will be nothing but the echo of
the voice Of the adjutant general of
the Irish Republican forces.