The San Francisco call., 1910-05-15

1t has great shipping yards, great linen
mills, a thriving, pushful, wide awake
population-indeed, looks more like an
American city than almost any other
city in the three kingdoms. But on the
other side it has very poor people
and very underpaid people. Children
begin to work at a cruelty early age
and life is short amoHg many sections
OF workers in consequence
This has given birth TO a strong wave
of democratic feeling even among the
orangenlen, who in Belfast are
curious combination of strong religious
bigotry. which is seventeenth rather
than twentieth century, and of fierce
independence and a certain sympathy
with the labor movement and party in
England DeVlin is a humanitarian
above all things, and instinctvely the
orangemen recognize in him, therefore
a man whose lines of thought approach
their own on many points.
In time Devlin got into the habit OF
attending public meetings in the
south; his ferVid oratory and passion
ate sincerity produced an immediate
impression and IN time every county
wanted him. Then against his will
for he had always these brothers and
sisters and old parents to think Of
he was almost forced to enter the
house of commons.
PROVOCATION IN HOUSE
He does not like speaking in the
house of commons An enthusiast,
self -distrustful, nervous, he finds. the
atmosphere of the house of commons
repulsive. and ii it were not for some
act of provocation on the part of Will
liam O'Brien or Tim Healy he rarely
would open his lips.
1t was a little, violent, virulent and
senseless attack on the Irish party and
on its policy is not defeating the
budget and disrupting the British and
Irish democracies which elected from
Devlin his greatest house of commons
success up to this hour.
Some of the most powerful speakers
on the liberal and Tory sides addressed
empty and yawning benches. There
was a futter of mild excitement when
William O'Brien rose, as there always
is when an Irishman is expected to
attack his countrymen. O'Brien is so
self conscious that 1t is hard to sup
pose that anything he does is acciden-
tai, and his strange appearance may be
self conscious.
He has become a strange. weird and
pathetic figure. The long hatchet face
is surrounded by stra ggling, unkempt
beard: the hair, now thinned, is long
and struggling; he wears curious old
suit of colorless tweed; his hat in this
assembly of almost universal stovepipe
hats is something that might pass for
the soft "caubeen" Of an Irish peasant.
A shaggy wild man of the woods-that
is what he looks like. He waves his
arms: he passes from an inaudible
whisper to shrek; he seems like some
old unheard. discTedited Jewish prophet
as he utters his lamentations and de-
nunciations.
ORATOR COMPLIMENTARY
Then rose Devlin, as marked a con-
trast, personally, physically and ora
torically, as could be imagined by even
the most dramatic artifieer Of contrasts
Devlin is little man. His face is clean
shaven, with the round checks, the ir-
regular nose, the mobile lips of the
typical Celt. is still most boyish in sug-
gestion. You are not prepared by the
small size of the man and the boyisf
voice for the rich musical voice, speak
! ing, by another curious contrast, the
! fervid language of a southern Irishmar
/ in the strange, rough accent of Belfast
At once the whole temperature OF
4 the house changed 1t became atten-
tive, excited, presently enthusiastic. II
I burning words Devlin reproachec
/ O'Brien for taking tory money and
tory aid TO fight for the house of lords
and against Ireland. Then Devlin sup.
ported the budget, especially the lanc
increment clauses, drawing in a few
rapid sentences moving picture of the
hard industrial conditions of Belfast
There was an unusual and prolonged
outburst of cheers from liberals, from
labor men, as well as from the delighted
Irish benches when he sat down
The poor orator himself was the
only one who did not realize hi.
triumph. He thought he had been in
coherent, Ineffective. beneath himself
For this little man with the boyisf
face is that strange combination o.
the courage of q lion and the nerves ol
a woman. He is consumed by self-dis
trust he goes to fight any giant, bu
he goes with tremulous nerve. not il
fear of them. but in distrust of himself
But Asquith's stately compliments il
his speech and Winston Churchilrs hur.
ried note of thanks and congratula
tions. and the look of delight in ever,
English friendly and in every loya
Irish face told their tale and conquered
1.-The modeSty of this remarkable man