New-York tribune., 1920-08-02
Lloyd George
Determined to
Fight Ireland
Enforcement of Coercion
Bill Will Add to Fright
fulness and Divide Brit
ish Opinion, Is Belief
Politics Is Charge d
ssThe Nation,'' Says English
Fail to Realize Strength
of the Irish Movement


Copyright. 1920. New York Tribune Inc
LONDON, Aug. 1.-THE Nation"
contains a long article headed "The
Irish Republic" in which it says "Ire-
land is not only nation, but also
state"
eve don't think" the paper says,
chat the average Englishman has the
slightest conception of the strength of
tho movement that. according to Sir
Edward Carson, has beaten the gov
ernmcnt over three-fourths of Ire
land He doesn't realize what it
means that every County Council out
side of Ulster should have trans
ferred its allegiance from Westminster
to the Irish republic. He doesn't un-
derstand that the republic is success
full fact-that while last year it was a
republic besicged, this year it is the
besieger."
"The Nations" analysis of the stu
ton must be read in conjunction with
Premier Lloyd Georges statement to
large Unonist delegation, headed by
Sir Edward Carson and the Duke Of
Northumberland Lloyd George prom
ised he would rush through his coer-
cion bill before Parliament adjourns,
within fortnight, and that it would
be "a very drastic bill" He said he
recognized that american opinion is
important, but that British opinion is
vital"
Sim Fein Well Organized
Various interpretation are being
made of the Premier's declaration, and
most commentators are agreed that he
Io%o 10 Eo,l,% T,o
are being sent to Ireland constantly,
but III the last few days their number
has been greatly increased. Soldiers
are gradually replacing the constabu-
larry, whereas hitherto they performed
duties as a defensive force.
Every one is wondering whether real
civil war is about to start in Ireland.
Last year, with murders, raids and
hold-ups, it was but a stand-up battle
between the forces of the Crown and
the Irish volunteers,
That the establishment of martial
law throughout the island will bring
Fen are too powerful and we'll organ
lied to be beaten at the game they are
now playing. What would happen if
the Sim Fein decided to fight in the
open is another question.
The Irish rebels are most unlikely
to accept open battle or to stop de-
moralizing the constabulary. They are
now offering to find employment for
all constables who resign from the
force. They have virtually all the
railway men supporting them by re-
fusing to operate trains carrying sol
diers or munitions. They have en-
listed thousands of ex-soldiers, many
of whom are experienced officers. They
have spies everywhere, in and out of
Ireland They can hit wherever and
whenever they desire. They have large
funds.
Too Weak to Fight in Open
But with all this power they are
far too weak to fight in the open and
they know it. Enforcement of the
the amount of frightfulness in Ire
land and it will also divide English
opinion. English labor and English
liberalism will attack the Premier, as
it is already doing, on the ground that
he is playing politics.
The most sensational of the recent
attacks come from "The Express
Lord Beaverbrook's paper, which had
long been considered government
organ. Discussing Russia, "The Ex-
press" described the Premiers policy
as "bungling and y-shallying'
which has brought Great Britain to
this desperate imnasse." The paper
declares that it is due largely "to in
ternal dissensions between the
various sections of the coalition with
In the government"
The Liberal papers have been quicl
to use this attack to support theil
criticisms of Lloyd Georges policy il
Ireland. "The Westminster Gazette
says: 1T isn't only in foreign affairs
bnt quite as much in domestic affairs
that this struggle RACES, and in the
case OF the Irish question we can Sc,
1T raging backward and forward unde,
our eyes. Last week the progressive
nearly captured him, and he spoke O
| how he contemplated a new departur,
on the broadest lines. But Thursday
the reactionaries got him back, and ii
the closing paragraph of the otficia
report, issued this morning, we see tht
complete qualification of what he an
peared to say last week"
The other papers contain ever
sharper criticism along these lines
sufficient to show that there will not
be unity in the English camp wher
drastic measures are enforced in Ire
land. Whatever happens next month
few can foresee any possibility of i'm
provement in Ireland. All hope OF
compromise and Cancellation has van.
lshed. The bitterness of both sides
has been intensified by the events of
| last week.