Evening star., 1939-07-03
(Second of a SerieS.)
BY EDMUND GILLIGAN.

NEW YORK, July 3 (N.A.N.AD.-
Important officials of the Irish Re-
publican Army have established
headquarters in this city and from
it are directing campaign which
they hope will provide the sinews
of war for a conflict they insist
will not end until Ireland has been
completely cut away from England
Their plans for the future cam
paign of the I. R. A. the things
that drove them to renew hostilities
that had been ended in 1923, and
how they have been working SO
far, were described in a highly un-
usual interview.
The reporter, with precautions for
secrecy that appeared fantastic, but
which the Irish leaders insisted were
necessary, was taken to a house in
the upper reaches of the Bronx
where the local Office of the l. r. A
is established.
There were passwords to be given
a flower to be transferred from one
lapel to another, a circuitous route
to be followed to a rendezvous and
a ride in an automobile with drawn
shades before the reporter found
himself in a room with four men
who talked with. amazing frank
ness about what they have done
and what they intend to do.
Insists Republic Won.
r. r-oe tho ,o,,poact rOemhar of
the group who did most of the talk
ing. He insisted the republic had
been won by the I. R. A. when
hostilities ceased in 1928, but that
the delegates sent to London came
back only with dominion status.
He continued:
The coup d'etat achieved by the
pro-treaty and English alliance re-
suited in the choice of Cosgrave
as president of the provisional
government. This government re-
fused to acknowledge the second
Dali which had been elected by the
people of Ireland. BY military force
the government prevented the Dd'l
from assembling. Hence the second
Dali was never repudiated by a
vote of the people and the l. r. A
gave allegiance only to the second
Dali as representing the true voice
of the people The second Dall
never recognized the proVlslona.
government or its successor, the
Irish Free State. In Decembe",
1888, the second Dali handed over
all its civil powers as the legitimate
government of Ireland to the lrlsh
Republican Army.
The Republican element IN Ire
land continued to gather strength
Year after year it sent increasing
numbers to the Sim Fein Ard
Fheis great assembly, held an
nuallv. 1t was at the Ard-Fheli
of 1926 that De Valera thought to
make use of the militant Republican
voice. He proposed that a new
political party be formed. based on
the strength of Republican Sentl-
ment, He was severely criticized
because this meant taking part IN
a government that was called llleg&l
by the Republicans.
Fianna Fail Party Formed.
"He created a sensation bringing
his proposal to the floor of the
Ard -Fheis. The delegates voted on
it and defeated it. De Valera then
formed the Fianna Fail party, but
he always wrote after it the phrase
republican party
The provisional government, as
it is called, took the things that
belonged to the republic. They took
its flag and called its assembly the
Dahl But he took the oath to the
King of England and to his sue
cessors. True, he did openly de-
clare that it was an empty form and
he did have the oath removed
All of the men then spoke in turn
of the land annuities dispute, of the
way the English robbed the Irish of
their lands, then sold them back
again. The economic war that fol-
lowed the reputation of the annui-
ties by De Valera was described and
then, again in growing bitterness,
they described his settlement by
which $5OO00,OOO cash was paid to
England and an annual payment
also was provided for the next half
century.
"It was the same thing all over
again" said the spokesman. mo
change at ALL"
He condemned De Valera for his
policy, declared that the people
began to desert him at the polls
and then said: The Irish Repub-
lican Army became firmer in its
conviction that nothing but psysical
force would wiring an inch of con-
cessions out of England. Nothing
ever has been won by Ireland from
England except by physical force
Now we know today that physical
force exerted against England will
win us the republic"
Decide to Fight in 1894.
He told of the coercion bills passed
by De Valera and scornfully spoke
of the new one that is going into
effect this week. 1t provides for
military courts to suppress the
I. R. A.
Men died in jail" he said, land
many were arrested for contempt
of the courts, He continually spoke
of partition and said that the
northern counties must be joined to
Ireland, but he said nothing of the
republic. He will be content with
a 32-county dominion
so" he added slowly, "the I. R. A.
decided in 1884 that England must
be fought once more"
This was the time he said, that
the present campaign in England
was planned. More than four years