San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-17
Republicanism Is Dead or
Dying as Leaders
Quit Fighting.
DE VALERA IS ALONE
Question Now Is in What
Form the Conflict Will
Be Terminated.
r~N BY WILLIAM Fl. BRAYDEN.
Special Cable TO The San Antonio Light
and the Chicago Daily News.
COpyriEht 1923.

Dublin, April 17.-Eamon DeVa-
lera has no advisers left. All his
chief colleagues who were supposed to
influence his judgment, are dead, I'M
prisoned, or in America. The cap
ture of Austin Stack and the con-
tents of his notebook showing an urg-
ent request to be signed by the chief
leaders pressing DeValera to order the
immediate CESSATION of hosiilities
leaves ON the republican president the
sole responsibility for continuing the
conflict.
The operations in which Liam
Lynch was killed and Stack captured
prove the impossibility of successful
resistane. Information of a gather
ing of irregular leaders and the whole
plan of attack on them and the sub
sequent search in the mountains was
dictated by wireless from headquar-
tiers. Recently in the South an ir-
regular chief said, eve are fought
to standstill and flattened out"
while two months ago DeValera writ
ing. ON peace proposals, said condi-
tons were conceivable in which the
maximum terms would be re. D.
Weekend Is Quiet.
Those conditions have arrived.
Summer campaigning is deemed more
doubtful than that in winter. Though
it imposes less hardships on the guer-
rillas, it increases the risk of capture
. and hence Stacks opinion that fur
ther resistance was useless. Though
no statement has yet been published
from DeValera the weekend was
quiet as il the CESSATION of hostilities
had already been ordered.
Much depends upon the form in
which the conflict will terminate.
Stacks suggestion was that the vol
unteers should deposit their arms
pending the free choice of govern
ment by the Irish people. This would
mean that the republicans did not
surrender, but simply quit and would
--open possible future fighting. This
would put the problem up to the gov
.ernment whether it could safely re-
lease its 10000 prisoners or lessen the
size. Of the Free State army.
On the other hand, formal sur.
render would mean a definite end of
the state of war. 1t is because the
law courts have decided that state
of war exists that the government is
legally enabled to hold thousands OF
prisoners without charge or trial.
Surrender would probably mean the
release of all the untried prisoners
who would then be willing to give the
guaranty. hitherto refused. that they
would not take up arms against the
state.
Could Reduce Costly Army.
Once peace was restored, Ireland
could do with one-fourth of its pres
ent costly army, but the demobiliza-
ton of the three-fourths would need
to be gradual to avoid disturbing the
labor market and swelling the ranks
of the unemployed. 1t is possible that
even an order from DeValera to
cease hostilities might not be obeyed
everywhere. Some commanders might
act as a law untod themselves. 1t is
too soon to forecast the immediate
end of all fighting, but the events of
the last week have confirmed the
governments optimism.
Republicanism in Ireland, however.
is dead or dying. 1t has fewer chances
of obtaining the adherence of ma
iority of the people than it had
twelve months ago. but the adoption
of political instead of military meth
DDS combined with the unpopularity
from which all active government suf-
fer, would maize it n constant formi-
dable check on the Free State regime.