MuniciPal elections held on Jan. 15, 1920, indicated the growth of the Sinn Fein movement, and indicated that a large element of the Irish people would be satisfied with nothing less than inde pendence. Out of 1,240 vacancies, the Sinn Fein won 422, the Labor Party 325, the Nationalists 213, and the Unionists only 297. The Nationalists who favored Home Rule were ousted by the Sinn Feiners from almost every seat in Par liament, and as a result Ireland was al most without representation in the House of Commons during 1920.
In the meantime, violence continued to flourish. On March 10, Lord Mayor Mc Curtin, of Cork, was assassinated by masked men in his own house. His suc cessor, Terence MacSwiney, was ar rested on August 12, on charges of sedi tion, and following his conviction, imme diately began a hunger strike which ended in his death on Oct. 25, 1920, after a fast of 74 days. Other Irish leaders who were arrested on similar charges, re fused to eat and several of them died. The Sinn Fein established their own court and police, erecting an entire sys tem of self-government under the eyes of British officials, while police, con stabulary, and soldiers were assassinated or shot from ambush. On April 2, Sir
Hamar Greenwood was appointed chief secretary to succeed Ian MacPherson. In May, civil war continued fiercer and many police barracks were burned. The government sent large forces to Ireland in command of Sir Neville McCready. The situation was further complicated by a strike of English railway dock and ship laborers who refused to move troops or munitions. The terror culminated in the partial burning of the city of Cork on the night of December 11, when 311 houses were burned and damage was done to the amount of $20,000,000. In the same month Parliament passed the Home Rule Bill in both houses, and it was signed by King George. It was left at his nominal discretion to put into effect at any time within three years fol lowing its passage.