Albuquerque morning journal., 1920-08-02
GREAT CAME Of
PASSING BUCK
ON IN IRELAND
Each Side Determined to
Make the Other Response
BILE in Case There is a
Stoppage of Rail Traffic.

Dublin, Aug. 1.-The ] Irish rail
way situation apparently has re-
solved itself into contest between
the government and Sim Fein, and
all the moves on each side are cal
eulated from that point of view.
/ II there is to be q general stop
page of all traffic each side is de-
termined to make the other re-
sponsible for it, and there win be
an argument as to whether it is
strike or lcckout The govern
ment has been accumnlating trans
port and has no difficulty in con-
veying any quantity of guns and
munitions to any part Of Ireland.
1t has therefore not chosen to force
the pace by rendering munitions for
the Irish goods trains. which on the
refusal of the railway men TO ham
die them would have meant depriv-
ing Ireland of many of the necessi-
ties Of lip. .....
TSld TO 'Sit Tight"
The trouble which has occurred
has been solely on the passenger
trains and has been mainly con-
cerned with the carriage of small
parties of policemen or Of troops
who are being used as supplement
tary to the police At first when
the railway men refused to carry
them, the soldiers or police took
II calmly and returned to their bar
racks. Later on the government is
sued an order that the soldiers OIL
police should sit tight in the rail-
way carriages and insist on being
carried. They were also directed to-
present themselves at the next train
starting for their destinations
Hence a series of spasmodic hold
ms of trains all over the country
which cannot be relieved till the
police decide to withdraw. Wher-
ever the police insist on being car
ried the trains cease to run beyond
that station and the railway men
responsible are dismissed. But the
passenger trains which do not stop
et that station are unaffected and
run through as usual. On the Md
land line this has mean that trains
from Dublin cannot get past Athen-
ry and Castlerea, while trains up To-
Dublin still run. :,
The driver, fireman and guard
starting from Dublin convey their
train as far as the point where the
police want to get on. They refuse
to go any further, and there is a
regular daily list of dismissais'
Very Few Dismissais.
How small on the whole Is the
trouble so far may be estimated
from fact that the total dlsmis-
missals after three weeks or
months conflict is less than Sixty
on all the lines in Ireland. business
has suffered but slightly. The sit
uation may be relieved any day pg
a decision of the government TO
send their men by motor. That
would be hailed, however, as VIC
tory for the Sim Fein.
The irish judges who are now
going out to hold the assizes nave
decided TO travel by motor. Usually
thev 20 by train accompanied py
an armed guard of honor. II thfy
went by train with the guard they
would not be allowed to leave the
terminus. If they went without the
rnard if would be acknowledging
the Sim Fein power, and tney
'would be liable to be held up IKE
any other passengers at any sta-
ton where police wanted TO come
on board. So they go by motor.
The barristers in many cases are
doing the same thing, and as spe-
cial concession to the difficulties
Of the time have obtained permis-
sion to appear in court Wlthou'
their wigs and gowns which are
usually carried by the bar attend
ants by passenger trains now ilapie
TO incalculable chances OF delay.
The dispute is not at all traces
union matter. and no union can
now control it. The funds for the
support of the dismissed men come
mainly from Sim Fein sympathlZ-
ers. .a
Railway Men Firm.
There is no likelihood that the
railway men will yield but even II
they wished to do so sim rem
would not let them. Sim Fein Tor
example, thinks that petrol for me
air force is a munition OF war. me
railway men did not think that, ana
had conveyed three thousand sal-
Ions to Mullingar, en- route TOT the
air force at Oramore. Al Muiiihgat
the train was boarded by an armed
party who refused to allow IL 10
proceed with the petrol. Thick TOOK
the petrol out of the train. carried
il to the embankment and spiileu
out the lot. 1t is regarded as an
interesting sidelight on military
administration, that the authorlues
had taken no precautions Whatever
against risk and had left the petrol
m travel without a guard.