The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-05-08
Distinguished Protestant Clergyman Gives His Views
 of Ulster and Home Rule.
(By Rev. c. F. Aked, DID,, LID, in
 aNayE York American.

New York American.)
 With the attention of the world directed to Ireland once more, questions about Home Rule, about Ulster, and about the re- ligious difficulty which the word Ulster covers are being freely asked. In few simple and non partisan paragraphs some of the question may be answered.
 Ireland is conquered coun- try It has been conquered by the English. It has been con quered over and over again and Ireland is unconquered to this shouri
 The rule of the English in Ire- land is marked by centuries of force and fraud of pllnder and oppression, of famine artiflcialIy created or perpetrated. of send- less crimes committed within the law and without pretense of law, of high-handed wrong which has not ceased by night or day.
 Yet Home Rule is an honest attempt on the part of the Eng fish people, or, at least the ma jorfty of them represented by the Liberal government now in pow CT, to atone for the wrongs of centuries as far as they can be atoned for and to give the Irish the opportunity of working out their own economic, social and political salvation. It is an at tempt to end the old brutal as- cendency, the exploitation Of a conquered people, to restore to Ireland nationality. and enable the Irishman to feel himself a free man on Irish soil. z
 The Home Rule which Glad ' stone proposed and which the British people are now offering Is not independ dence. That the Hnglishman regards as impos- sible ireland remains part of the British empire. Irish repre- sentatives will sit in the Imperial parliament. A separate parlia- nent in Dublin, and the forfula runs: An Irish parliament for Irish affairs
 The Ulster DihHculty.
 But now comes the Ulster diff culty. Ulster is geograpIli cal expression There are four provinces in Ireland Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Com naug11t. They are not political entities and must nor be con IOuAOGu WILT LII Saz 5ldLSS 0I t4AE American Union.
 Few of the Irish who live in ET1 ster are Irish They are English and Scotch Three hundred years ago occurred what Is known in [ history as the plantation of Uls- ter. Vast tracts of land were seized and parceled out among English and Scotch settlers. Their descendants have multiplied and -prospered.
 They have taken to industry and to naanufaetures and com merce
 The Irish are Roman Catho- lies. Ulster is Protestant. And the fierce fires of all the cehtl1r- ies barns.i n z1ese words.
 the Irish have made out their case for Home R Rule. Ulster still better case against Home Rule And IoTne Rule is Rome Rule Ulster says and keeps on
 The Protestants Of Ulster, in minority in Ireland, appeal to their fellow Protestants in Eng land, They urge their three hundred years of loyalty to the British throne; their record of sfn- dustry and of decent living; their claims upon the love and loyalty of the English people.
 In the last resort they swear they will take arms against Eng land rather than be placed under the rule of Rome They allege that they have a hundred thous-s and men enlisted and drilled. They pretend that they have five hundred machine guns and am munftion for a long and bloody war. 8a The Young BIoods O fLondon.' 7 The Liberal Party. responsibie for the Home Rule bill, has made an attempt to safeguard the Pro testants Of Ulster Clause three of the bill provides that the Irish Parliament shall not make any law so as either directly or indi- rectly, to establish or endowe any religion or prohibit it's free ex- ercise, or give preference or adva ntage, disab biIity or disadvan- tage. to any religious belief or status, or make any religious be- lief or ceremony a condition Of the validity of marriage. Any law in contravention of this linn itations to be void. Aine RToI6SIanTS In EnEland be- lieye that these safeguards are sufficient. The Protestants in Ulster believe that they are not worth the paper on which they are printed. Time will judge be- tween them.
 The conductsof the officers who asked for guarantees that they should not be called upon to aid in putting down rebellion in Ul-s sster, should rebellion break out, is easily understood. They have not, of course, the remotest sym pathy in the world with Ulster Protesta ntissn.
 These young bloods of the Lon don drawing rooms have rfb more religion than the foxes they hunt or the horses they ride.
 They are concerned with the maintenance of old bad system of dornination and plunder which the Home Rule bill is designed to wipe out. These officers rep- resent the territorial aristocracy which has bled Ireland white be- fore the eyes of Europe.
 No power on earth can now defeat the measure - except, as these lords of many acres : Gnr