The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-07-19
Address Delivered Today Before the United
Irish Societies at Cleveland, Ohio
By the Editor of The Irish Standard, Mr..
James ]. Regan,
National President of the Ancient Order
of Hibernians.

"oh peace thou soul and source of
social life
Beneath whose calm inspiring intlu-
Science his views enlarges. are retlnes,
And swelling commerce opens all her
ports,
Blessed be the Man Divine Who gave
us thee"
Every period Of human history pre-.
sents for solution its own peculiar
problem. its own peculiar questions OF
right and wrong, of justice and In
justice. The ago In which VIC are liv-
ing Is no exception to those that have
gone before; and doubtless will prove
| no exception to those that are to fol-
| low. AS long As man lives In this
| world: as long as nations spring into
| existence and grow to maturity; so
long will those complex problems arise
| and demand solution. We must solve
them or at least make an attempt to
do so. If we would perform our duty
towards our neighbors and ourselves.
We cannot shrink from this rcspon
sibility without defeating the purpose
and the will Of God.
! Now one of the many problems. up
pernost in the minds of men today Is
the question Of Universal Peace.
Al the outset II may be asked why
should l a. member of ''the lighting
race" a race that has In every age
the sword. discuss this question. AS
the president Of the largest Irish So
ciety in the world ! reply that such
is my obvious duty. The Irish people
love peace they are among the most
faithful followers Of the Prince of
J Peace. They abhor war. They have
never unsheathed the sword except in
defence of right. OF justice, and of lib
erty. ECnblaZoned on the banner OF
our society is the motto Friendship,
Unity and Christian Charity-the
three strongest pillars of peace, and
our banner bears this motto because
lrishnen have suffered more from the
curse of war than any other nation,
perhaps beneath the sun. For CEN
turtles they have seen tho fair hill
by war. They realize what the waste
and ruin, the crime and cruelty, the
madness and horror. the monumental
folly of war is, They have passed for
genera tions through the fiery ordeal
they have known the clash of STEEL
J the leaden hail, and they have stood
shoulder to shoulder in the whirl-
wind of the crushing charge, they
have seen the earth drink the blood
Of their bravest and best, on many a
green slope, before many a flaming
rampant, yes at the very mouths OF
the cannon, because they could not
| bring themselves to believe that peace
without honor, right. justice and lib
crty Was worth the price. The great
Archbishop Of st. Paul said, when the
life of a nation Is at stake, when the
integrity of its territory is mcnaced
when It's honor is assailed, when with
/! in the shadow Of itg acpis prev{o1Is
wrong is done. defyng argument OF
diplomacy. what remains to a nation
that is not so base as to court death
or dishonor, but to take the sword in
hand and to battle while strength is
left, for the cause of Justice and right.
eousness"
When the Savior Of mankind said
my peace ] leave you, My peace I
| give you," He limited the gift Of peace
| by no condition. He intended that it
should spread abroad through the
World-a good diffuscd to every nation
! and tribe and tongue. The idea of
! peace as 1t existed In the Mind of the
/ Maker implied justice, not merely be-
tween nations, but to the component
parts of the nation, to the family and
! between individuals as we'll. Coming
! down through the centuries and echo
i ing in all lands the voice of the Mas
ter proclaims to every generation
Let justice prevail though the very