The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-13

London, Feb. 12.-The mosI surprising
thing about the later developments o.
the elections is the Importance of the posi-
tion occupied by Ireland. Here is al
enormous empire at the dictate of
small unconQuered fragment of its Owl
population which In turn it has de
uounced, cajoled. coerced, and hugged. bu
On which il cannot apparently make any
impression.
Matthew Arnold described the Irish as
the race that went forth to battle, and
always fell" He forgot 10 add, "and was
sure TO leap to its feet again once The
C0nquerors back was turned" This ap-
parent facility Of the Irish 10 be defeated
is the root of the whole trouble. People
talk fiamboyanuy Of the English genius
for conquest. organization. assimilation
Of other peoples, empire-building, &c, but
they all find It hard to get over the case
OF Ireland.
Neither Party's Friend.
Both sides love "old Ireland" now. be-
cause Mr.. Redmond happens to hold the
balance Of power, but there can be no
doubt that each side would be extremely
glad II it could get along without Irish
help. When the returns began to come in
the Liberal newspapers took no notice Of
the Irish Nationalist vote, and when they
spoke in private Of the possibility or hav-
ing to rely on Irish help It was shudder-
ingiy and with grimaces, as a man might
speak OF the possibility of his having to
on they steeled their hearts to the newt
able, and in a matta-Of-course way
counted Mr.. Redmord's followers omong
the Liberal majorky
But ii would be -seless and misleading
even for Irishmen themselvts TO ignore
the plain fact that as a political party
they are not liked in England by either
side; that home rule is the weakest plank
in the Liberal platform; that it is not
cordially indorstd by most Of the Lib
erals; that it loses the Liberals a large
number of followers at every election. and
that Mr.. Asquith would probably have
omitted il from his programme alto
Eether, il he had only had England TO
think Of
The Daily Mail recently gave great
end unusual prominence 10 a letter man
ufactured in the office, Of course. but
signed 'Trishman," and headed in large
letters: What Does Ireland Want?"
Wants National Assembly
What Ireland wants is "a national as
sembly competent under the crown TO
make laws for Ireland as Canada makes
laws for Canada, with a ministry depend
ent on the confidence Of a Parliament I'm
Dublin, but independent Of the ministry
in London" Ireland, on the other hand,
does not want socialism I'm any shape
or form; neither state ownership of land
nor industries generally, nor mere secu-
lar education; nor unlimited divorce. "
GIVE her what she wants. and she will
stand firm for the home and the family
and against that socialism which is the
end Of all things. Why, then. should
Ireland not get what she wants, and Eng
land. with Irelands aid. also get what
she is supposed TO want, viz, tariff re-
form and the election from office Of a
base radical government?
There is only one obstacle. and that is
an Orange prejudice now out Of date. "
which will be Of no account when the
thing is done. since half Ulster is al
ready converted TO home rule IF Dis
raeli were living at this hour would he
permit a miserable sectarian phantom
such as Orangeism cOnjures up to stand
between him and the union of all true
conservative forces against that anti
patriotic, antireligious coalition which is
now dragging Mr.. Asquith at its heels?''
'Irishman" does not believe il, and he
calls on the Unionist party 10 seize their
golden opportunity and unite the en-
pire"
They would lose Belfast and Liver
pool. but they would gain ireland. And
to this they must come sooner or later, if
the Germans do not intervene"