The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-10-01

the plea that large measure of Ma tional Self Government could be se- cured by an honest and vigorous use of the Constitutional weapons at the command of the Irish people and it was given unstintedly. He was a1- ways true to his p1ighted word. It is a, matter of history unchallenged and incontrovertible. that the Clan na-Gael organized and controlled from the very outset the American move rnent which supplied the financial re- sources that enabled Parnen to carry ron the campaign which he brought to the very threshold Of success. AL though Redmond claimed that Par nelIs policy was also his, the Clan na-GaeT never trusted him because his utteranceS during and since the Boer War proved him to be a trimmer and a. shiftless politician, without any real National feeling
 But Redmond secured such financial support as he obtained in Ameriea Joy the profession, in public and in prf- Vate, of ardent Nationalist principles In Buffa1o a few years ago he stated that his object was toI tear up the ac- cursed act Of Union and tramp1e it under foot" He obtained money un- der false pretenses as fragrant as those used by a. common swindler, and he has used it to debase and debauch the public life of Ireland, so as to pre- pare the way for the betrayal which he is now endeavoring to accomplish. He has suppressed freedom of speech and stif1ed political discussion, cor rupted the press and built up a, rot ten political machine, composed large ly of men in Eng1and's pay, by means of which he proposes to deliver Ire land, bound and gagged, to the English government. He is flooding Ireland through his vena1 press, with infamous En glish lies about German satroct- (. 11<~ always friendly to Ireland. while Eng land was prosecuting and robbing her for the sole purpose of ablinding the Irish people to the opportunity which this war presents of enabling them to obtain benefits which would be impos- sitble with England at peace. And he is now prostituting the Catholic church to the base and sordid purposes Of England ss
 Ireland's interests would De best served by Eng1ands defeat in this war. A strong England has always oppressed Ireland and treated her with, contempt: England in trouble and facing danger has ever been willing to listen to Ireland's complaints. In pro portion as the British Empire grows strong, it passes with greater weight on Ireland; when it begins to go down Ireland's chances of. fair treatment will improve and the day of it's de-
 
 redemption. These are the lessons of Irish history.
 Ireland's sy1npathies in this war should be with Germany as her inter ests undou btedIy are. A German Yic- tory over England would give Ireland the opportunity to win her independ- ence and become a prosperous nation. able to support a large population from her own great natural resources and to defend her liberties against all enemies Her independence would destroy England's mastery of the seas and IIberate Europe from English comm erciaI domination England without Ireland would be reduced to the position of a third class power, incapable of browbeating Europe, of holding the choicest. spots on the earth's surface, or of disturbing the peace of the world.
 If the Irish people are true to themselves this way may bring them freedom. But they. can gain nothing by taking Eng1and's side. A victorious England would treat Ireland with con tempt; a beaten En ngIand would be too weak to oppress or reconquer Ireland.
 The duty of the Irish people is to themselves and their own country. By conserving their strength they will be able to wiring from the situation some benefit for themselves: by vast ing their strength for England they will place themselves at the mercy of a power that has wronged and in- jured them for seven centuries. That the spirit of England is Unchanged and unehangeajb1e is shown by the mis- era;bIe character of the Home Rule bill and the coward1y slaughter of women and children in the streets of Dublin on July 26 last.
 Whatever may be the outcome of the present war, the interests. the honor and the good name of the Irish race throughout the world demand that John Rdmond's trattorous action be. repudiateds If it is not, @the race will deserve and receive the contempt of the world, and that contempt will nowhere be more pronounced than in England.
 Before any action, peaceful or oth- erwfse, can be taken to use the pres ent opportunity for Ireland, Ireland must purge herself of the shame and