GREAT BRITAIN: Irish War

One afternoon last week Donald Campbell, young Edinburgh University Latin Lecturer, and his wife, returning from a Paris honeymoon, stepped up to the check room in London’s crowded King’s Cross Station. From beneath the counter came an explosion that destroyed the check room, burst suitcases and trunks, bowled over scores of passersby, stripped the clothes from two women. As the clouds of choking, acrid smoke rolled away Donald Campbell, both legs blown off, lay dying. Sprawled around him, 15 wounded men and women, including his bride, fed the bloody pools gathering on the cobblestones.

A few hours later a similar explosion in London’s Victoria Station injured three. Late that night a wooden swing bridge across the Leeds & Liverpool Canal was demolished, the front of a Liverpool post office blasted into the street before the eyes of watching police, and a nearby street mailbox set afire. Thus ended the worst day of terrorism since the Irish Republican Army which claims to be the only legal Government of Ireland declared “war” on Great Britain last January. The casus belli was the British refusal to recognize a united Ireland and withdraw troops from the British-controlled six northern counties.

“S Plan.” Last week’s bombings coincided with Parliamentary consideration of a bill to free the police from ordinary legal restraint when tracking down Irish terrorists. Although 66 I.R.A. volunteers have been sentenced to prison, the police have had difficulty making a legal case against men they suspect of plotting more outrages. In the past there has been no restriction on the entry of British subjects into Great Britain. According to the bill introduced by Home Secretary Sir Samuel Hoare, to be in effect for two years, suspected terrorists could be prevented from entering the country. Suspects already resident could be compelled to register their movements with the police or be deported if they had entered the country during the past 20 years.

Sir Samuel apologized for introducing so important a measure late in the Parliamentary session, and in explanation produced a copy of the secret I.R.A. Staff “S Plan” captured during a police raid. This “remarkable document” outlined the strategy of terrorism and gave specific instructions on how to send bombs by parcel post, clog sewers with quick-drying cement, sabotage machines, and destroy public utilities. The campaign, the “S Plan” indicated, should reach its maximum effectiveness early next winter. M.P.s guffawed when Sir Samuel told of a plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament, but they were not amused when he stated: “We have reliable information in our possession that the campaign is being closely watched and actively stimulated by foreign organizations.”

Exodus. Listeners did not doubt for an instant that the reference was to Germany, which supported the Irish Easter Rebellion of 1916. Fearing that a few hours’ delay might result in another tragedy, Parliament last week hurriedly passed the Prevention of Violence Bill. The instant royal assent made it law, 21,000 police and Scotland Yard detectives swooped down on I.R.A. suspects. By night Sir Samuel had signed 19 expulsion orders. The prize fish eluded the dragnet. Elusive Chief of Staff Sean Russell, thought to be in England alter completing an American fund-raising tour could not be found. Among those shortly to be shipped to Ireland was “the man with a slouch,” who was suspected of placing the bomb in King’s Cross Station. So great was the panic of Irishmen who had reason to fear the police that the boat train for Dublin had to run in three sections.

“Dev’s” Predicament. Sad-faced Eamon de Valera, Prime Minister of Eire, looked unhappier than usual last week as he lamented: “Last spring we created a favorable attitude in Britain toward ending partition, but this campaign in England has put us back.” So far, the Eire Government, although it has outlawed the I.R.A., has not arrested any of its leaders. Many Irish Government supporters secretly sympathize with the young hotheads. Last week “Dev” hinted that he would take action to clear out the nests of plotters. If he does, it might mean the end of more than his political career. The I.R.A. has confined its current campaign to England and Northern Ireland. If hunted by the Eire Government, it might turn on its own countrymen.