Evening star., 1939-12-30
Military Measures
Rouse Fears Of
Irish Civil Strife
Belfast Quarters Also
Anticipate |. R. A. Roid
On Northern ireland
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BELFAST. Northern Ireland, Dec.
3O.-Reports of extraordinary mill
tary measures at Dublin heightened
fears today in informed Belfast
quarters of impending civil strife IN
adjoining Ireland.
Leaves for all Irish officers were
reported Cancelled as the army of
5000 men concentrated in and about
the southern capital.
AS a possible by-product of the
smouldering struggle between the
outlawed Irish Republican Army
militant Nationalists, and the De
Valera government of Ireland (the
former Irish Free State), Belfast
quarters expressed fear of an I. r..
A. raid on Tyrone and Fermanagh.
most westerly of the six counties
forming Northern Ireland.
Pet Project Of Extremists.
These quarters said this had long
been a pet project of more extreme
members of the l. r. A. Northern
Ireland is a part of the United
Kingdom and the I. r. AS avoWed
purpose is to drive the British out
of Ireland" Irish Nationalists en-
visage a union of all Ireland. The
I. r. A. urges that it be achieved
by violence if necessary.
Perhaps as an outgrowth of po-
litical hatreds. the Belfast branch
Office of the Dublin Irish Press was
bombed last night. There was con-
siderable damage. but no casualties.
The London foreign Office has in
dicated Britain would not remain
idle if Northern Ireland were at
tackled. Moreover. the regular army
of the Dublin government would be
forced to march against any such
I. R. A. rising, Belfast sources de-
clared.
mo Irish government could re-
main in Office under those conditions
not even De Valera's' said vet
eran British-Irish observer, refer
ring to the possibility of Irish fight
ing Irish in independent Ireland.
The people would not stand for
pitting the army against another
Irish army
John Piunkett Arrested.
John Plunkett, brother of an
executed leader of the Irish Easter
rebellion of 1916, was one of four
men arrested by Civic Guards at a
pirate" radio station today. Police
believed the station was operated
by the outlawed Irish Republican
Army.
Joseph Plunkett, executed with IA
others after court martial in 1916,
was one of seven leaders who
signed a proclamation declaring the
country to be under the rebel gov
ernment and army instead Of the
British.
The Plunketts are sons of Count
George Noble Plunkett, Irish poet
and fine arts expert.
Troops Ring Dublin.
Irish regular troops, according to
advices from the neighboring capi-
tai, have ringed Dublin while planes
and armored cars search for secret
arsenals and the remainder of a
million rounds of ammunition taken
last Saturday in raid on the Phoe-
nix army arsenal, which Dublin au-
thorities attributed to the I. r. A.
Recovery of about third of the
loot, including caches of $4,000 to
80 900 Grounds yesterday, has been
reported.
Investigators in Dublin reported
that at least 13 trucks apparently
were used in robbing the arsenal of
28 tons of ammunition.
Ten men detained in Drogheda
were removed to Dublin today. and
the search for suspects and ex-
plosives extended to the coastal
areas and boats on rivers and canals.
Prime Minister Eamon de Valera
was expected to demand drastic
powers, including the right to de-