The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-03-04
SANcTIM0NIous PRETEnsEs EXPOSED
In a Scathing Communication
to Editor VIM. T. Stead.
A1RoCI0us NUMBERING OF DERvIsHEs.
The Most Iniquitous Warfare
of the Present Century.

of the Present Century.
In recent issue OF William 7. Stead IS
new journal, "War Against War;" ap-
peared the following letter from Michael
Davitt:
Dear Mr.. Editor: The movement which
you have mainly inspired is not as hon
est as yourself in the War Against War.
1t looks to my mind, if you will pardon
me for saying so, as likely to become an
organized hypocrisy My reasons for
thinking and saying this are as follows:
l attended the first meeting OF the
Crusade" which was held in Battersea.
have read all that you have written
and printed in the first number Of War
Against War, and neither in the speeches
of Friday night. nor in the organ which
you so ably edit, do I find single sim
ccre word Of condemnation against war,
There is war waged at this moment,
hideous, damnable and un-Christian.
Villages are burned, hamlets destroyed
and men, women and children are
slaughtered who have never done an IN
Jury to any European nation. These vic
tins OF war are, moreover, almost as
helpless against the Maxim guns and dy-
Mantle shells used against them as sheep
would be against an attack OF wolves.
Their crime is their weakness and the
fact that they live i'll countries worth
stealing.
Who is waging this war? 1t is not
Russia, but your country; not the Gar,
but the Queen. Why are the wars waged,
as we write and talk, in the Hinterland
of Sierra Leone, in the Niber regions, and
in other parts of Africa, not condemned
nv your crusade? Why have you no word
OF blame upon the authors OF the most
iniouitous war OF modern timcs-that on
tbc northwest frontier Of India, in which,
according to pronounccment made at
the time Of the Peace Society, every in
! famy and crime known to savage war
fare except the poisoning OF wells, were
employed by the Queens troops against
= neople whose capital crime consisted IN
thc snir;t OF Afridi independence which
was bred in their mountain businesses
and homes?
Then as to the machine killing OF Der
wishes and the bayoneting OF the wound
cd in the Soudan. There was not syi-
,,ble of censurc uttered OH these atroei-
ties at the Battersea meeting. One rev.
crend CRUSADER" gave expression 10 :. :.
p;ous satisfaction that "the oppression
oi the Mahdi had been overthrown. But
re;,her the Mahdi nor his successor ever
drcamt OF depressing the people OF BAT
tersea. The first inspiration OF Mahd'sn
was rebellion against Turkish rule such
&C the peoples Of the Soudan believed the
government Of Egyptian Pashas to De'
and the nation which crushed AraD'
pasha's patriotic rising against the same
,,,,e in the interest of European oono-
holders is the nation which bears the
cowardly stain OF numbering the ~ouna-
"A f,oc AZ Omdurman, who had fought
against the name and flag OF the Assas-
sin of the Armenians.
All your condemnation seems 70 y.
AGAINST possible wars that may DC "aeeo
against England, and not against those
which YOU are carrying on or provoking
yourselves. England is today, and mas
been during the last FIVE years, the mos'
war-provoking Of all the civilized ma
tions. Your press would have famed the
flames OF war against America over the
Venezuela question, only you had to deal
at the time with an American Admins
traton which gave you, in plain Ian
guage, the choice of arbitration or fight
The Jameson raid would have provoked q
war, had not the Emperor OF Germany
in manly, courageous and chivalrou:
act indicated that his sympathy was or
the side OF the little Republic as agains
the big bully, just as Uncle Sam stoot
by the other little Republic and saved i
from the same Unsuitable. land grabbing
power. 1t appears that Lord Rosebcry
while being held in power by Irish votes
wanted war with France because Of SOM
frontier dispute in SIAM Other Englisl
advocates Of peace among politicians AM
in the press were ready to go to war witt
!, Russia on account OF the concession
E which she had obtained in China, Will
no later than few weeks ago all Eng
! land. apparently-Dr. Clifford and othe
: prominent Crusaders" included-wer
E for backing Lord Salisbury, even to II,
extent OF war, in the affair Of Fashoda!