18 JUNE 1921, Page 2

The Irish Office published last week definite proofs of the

relations between Sinn Fein and the Bolsheviks. The police found in Dublin a draft of a proposed treaty of alliance between these well-matched confederates, dated June 15th, 1920, with observations by Mr. De Valera and by Dr; McCartan, who is

now in Moscow, posing as the envoy of the " Irish Republic." The treaty provided incidentally that the Bolsheviks should accord to all Irish religious denominations " every right accorded to religious sects by the ■Russian Constitution "—that is, the right to be robbed and murdered by the. atheists of the Extra- ordinary Commission—and that the Sinn Fein envoy should represent the Roman Church in Russia. DP. McCartan explained that this " gives us a good grip on the Vatican and makes them less impressionable by British agents." Dr. McCartan stated that, if he was sent to Russia,• he must have " plenary powers " ; presumably he received them, as he is now in Russia. He said that he should ask the Bolsheviks to murder British prisoners if any Irish rebels were executed. It is clear from the correspon- dence that the Bolshevik agents in America had helped to draft the treaty. One of the Bolshevik agents in London asserts that no such treaty has been concluded. But the point is that Simi Fein is shown to be in close connexion with the Russian Terror- ists, as we have always suspected.