ABSTRACT
When the General Army Convention met on Abbey Street in April 1938, the long ground-work by Sean Russell's advocates readily became apparent. Russell believed that even de Valera did not openly support the campaign; he tolerated the IRA's activities to reap the benefits at the end of partition. The obvious difference was that Russell inflicted an atmosphere of terror, not on the British Army stationed abroad, nor on a British colonial apparatus, nor even on the British police in Britain, but on the entire British public. Tom Barry insisted that setting off a few bombs in London would be a fruitless gesture. On July 34, 1939, Sir Samuel Hoare, British Home Secretary, introduced the Prevention of Violence Bill authorizing tight control of immigration, the right of deportation, the registration of all Irish living in Britain, and the detention of suspects. The Labour Party agreed, reluctantly in some quarters, that stronger police powers were necessary and did not oppose the Bill.
