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Show INFEBif CLOSELY WATCHED Hopeful Feeling Regarding Ireland, but Precautions Are Taken. Hl-BI.IN. Sept. IT. (Ry mull.) The Sinn Fein party In Ireland is extending its activities and is forming local clubs everywhere throughout the country. It still remains, however, rather a pervading pervad-ing sentiment rather than a definite organization. or-ganization. It is impossible to say which particular individuals are the authorized exponents of its purposes, and there Is a ood deal of divergence both ot tone and substance between the various pronouncements pronounce-ments made from Its platforms borne speakers continue to preach revolution armed forces, while others appea to a n at a programme much nearer the limits of nractical politics. The Associated Press correspondent talked with some who are very mfluentia in the movement, to whom a tree Ireland under the crown is quite a welcome idea, provided it does not mean subjection to the British cabinet. This is not so very far from the home rule, that Canada en-iovs en-iovs The great bulk of the support given the elections to Sinn Fein ranidates comes rather from men dissatlsfhll with the conduct of current politics find the necessary restrictions of the wrr than from those who adhere either in principle princi-ple or practice to methods of violence. There is a continuously hopetul feeling that the Irish convention may turn out a good workable scheme of self-government, and the conviction Is growing that if it does so the Irreconcilables will be left without followers. Meanwhile the military authorities are treating the situation on the alsumption that the extremists mean what they say. Thev are. in fact, calling the bluff- so Ion"' as there is the threat of another rebellion thev take the threat seriously ' and seem determined to make very clear the hopelessness of repeating the wdld ex-' ex-' pc-riences of Baster week. 1916. Their policy is now diametrically opposed to ' that pursued in the early months of 1016. Then armed volunteers were allowed to drill and asemble where they pleased, to ' march uninterruptedly in military order ' through the streets and even to carry out evolutions and maneuvers directed " against the castle and other house build-' build-' ings. There was then no display of troops ' to "show- the revolutionaries that they ' would have to face any formidable oppo-' oppo-' silion. On the Easter Monday there were f hardly any soldiers In Dublin barracks. ' the general in command was away on a 1 holiday and the officers went off to the " ! races. The present policy has swung to the ' opposite pole. Drilling is absolutely pro-1 pro-1 hlhited. and those engaged In it are court-1 court-1 martialed and sent to jail, and arms have " been seized every where. , |