New-York tribune., 1920-02-15

worldly, novel; under the
plausible name of G. A. Bir-
mingham is an astonishingly talented
acrobat. In his latest volume, up,
The Rebelsl" (Doran) he succeeds
in tweaking the Irish nose, pull
ing the Irish leg q thank thee,
Nathan, for teaching me that word
all in one operation. The story
is dedicated "to any friends have left
in Ireland after the publication Of this
book" and it looks almost like an in
scription for an individual. "Up, The
Irish Nationalists especially on the
front porch Nationalists. who corre-
spond to our back -parlor Bolsheviks
The metaphorical satirical sword of
Birmingham is two-edged, for not only
the Nationalists but persons who
fear the Nationalists are assaulted
The fat edge Of the blade comes into
play frequently, delivering iovial watts
On all convenien. heads. red, bald
bone, bobbcd or otherwise.
The plot IS 4 simple affair that serves
as scatfoldng from which the author
drops bricks or hits heads or commits
whatever damage you can infict from
scafolding. Mona Connolly, daughter
OF high official in Ireland, becomes
lmbued with the Nationalist notions
and when her father faces the Ma
tionalist "ne nenace" with good -humored
disregard she starts an Irish republic
Of her own in Dunally. The republic
is rather less successful than the
blundering English rule and the arrival
of British troops, armed with machine
guns and trench mortars, puts pain
less end to the experiment. There are
traces of love story, OF course, but
G. a. Birmingham is too much of an
artist 20 permit the affection of Cap
! tain Tom Bryan, Mona ) cousin and d
wounded veteran of the war, TO bring
about the downfall Of her state. Mona
republic collapses chiefly from It's OWL
weight - and the political inference
should be obvious. even to amateur
revolutionists.
It's delightful assortment Of seri-
Gus thinking radicals that G. A. Birn,-
rgham offers for our inspection. Most
OF them are youths, for, says the
author. "Ireland-no one can help per
sonifying IrelanG--is a lady with seduc-
tive eyes and alluring ways. Many
men. when young, fall in love with
her" Chief of the Hibernian Reds !.
Peter MALTA, poetic STRIPPING. one o.
those Irish souls who only feel happ!
about their salvation when wrapped W
in long garments made of Puritan fab
RIGS and trimmed with Catholic phrass Z
ology.' Peter is shocked by Mona
devotion to cigarettes, which is sur
prising, for the habit nowadays is
nothing if not an emblem of feminine
respectabiiity Another typical radical
is Nj. Bethany, an English journalist
who, fearing conscription for the army
a. home. has fed to Ireland to fight
against conscription OF any one in that
country.
We have also a sweet young stenog-
rapher, Eibh!in 0 O'Murchada, who, dur.
ing business hours. is Ellen Murphy
Her strange power Of seeing an anti
Irish plot in every stray letter that
comes into the government Office is the
cause Of Mona's fears for the unhappy
island However, let no one say any
thing against Miss O'Murchada-Mur-
ply She is an intelligent stenogra
pher and as the author justly notes
virtue is much commoner than intelli-
gence among lady typists."
The mob that supports Mona !;
sketched in sharply. Little passages
( like the following represent Birming-
hams ability to give an impression OF
crowds activities in r. few words
A public demonstration has been or
dered by the radicals, and every one is
waiting for the British soldiers tc
break up the meeting.
Respectable citizens, meeting al