New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-08
Sees Revision of Feeling
Because Home Rule
Bill Passed.
BELIEVES AMERICANS
SHOULD BACK ALLIES
Convinced Militarism Menaces
Christianity, Civilization
and Democracy.
BY T. p. O'CONNOR, VI. P.

with your request for a statement OF
my views with regard TO Irish opinion
and especially opinion among men OF
my race in the United States. ] would
first say that ! regard il as essential
that the case Of the Allies should be
laid constantly before the American
people. They are a democracy, like our.
selves; they speak the same tongue
and in essence the spirit of their in
stitutions and their ideals is the same
as ours. Their sympathy and moral
support are, therefore, vital factor
IN that consensus Of opinion in favor
of our cause which is a potent factor
in bringing the struggle with Prussian
militarism 20 q successful end. | ex-
pressed some misgivings in the House
of Commons as 20 whether the rigid
and sometimes quite irrational censor
ing of the cable messages to America
was not calculated to interrupt that
frank. full and accurate presentation
of the cause of the Allies to the
American public. The censorship,
understand, has been greatly improved (;
] hope il may be improved further, and
that American Journalists, especially
those living in our midst, may md
their task of enlightening public opin-
ion in America as easy and as eXpedi-
tious as possible.
German Campaign Here Active.
The German campaign in the United
States has been active and well subsi-
died; but ! do not think il has made
much way. All my information leads
me to believe that the overwhelming
mass of American opinion is on the
side of the Allies. and that the Ameri-
can democracy has realized completely
that in fighting against Prussian mill
tarism and Prussian ambition-set
forth with such extraordinary candor
by their military and other writer's
we are fighting foe as much to their
ideals and their institutions may
even add, 10 their national security
as 10 our own.
The opinion of the people of the Irish
race in the United States might well
have given cause for anxiety. These
Irish people are in the main descend
ants of the unhappy peasants who were
driven out of Ireland in the days of the
Irish famine, and az an epoch much
less wise and less humane than ours Of
to-day. These sons and daughters Of
Irish exiles drank in the story Of suf-
fering and Of wrong at their mothers
knees. The results were very palpable
to anybody who visited America some
years ago. Ny first of five visits to the
United States was made in 1S8l-S2,
and then | was often startled by the
Irish feeling Of hostility TO England.
II was fierce, almost fanatical, and it
was practically universal. Any diff
Guilty of England would then have been
hailed as lreland's opportunity and the
sympathy of these Irish people in
America would have gone instinctively
and unanimously TO anybody who was
England's foe.
Feeling in Buffalo Investigated.
I recall these conditions not for the
purpose of reviving bitter memories,
but in order to make clear TO English
men the state of feeling which the
Irish leaders had 70 confront during
their struggle of the last thirty years,
and, above all, 20 bring into relief the
change, amounting TO transformation,
of Irish feeling to-day from what it
was in that recent past. Now, | can
assert positively and with full informa-
ton that though Irish opinion is not
unanimous, il is overwhelmingly in
favor of the Allies in the United States
to-day. The English papers contained
within the last few days a very sig
nificant telegram setting forth the ex-
periences of a representative OF The
Toronto Globe" a very influential Ca
madam journal, who went to Buffalo 70
investigate the feelings of the Irish
people on the borders of Canada and
the United States.
"The most significant point" says
= { 1 81 - =
CATION was the intense pro-BritiSh SEN
timents of the Irish, of whom there are
as many as 100000 in Buffalo, or as
many Irish as Germans. The officer
commanding the militia there, on being
interviewed, said: Even the best of
your English imperislists must take a
second place to "Pat" in loyalty TO the
British cause in these days" The tele-
gram adds that this wholesale turn
over is ascribed almost wholly TO the
stand Of Mr.. Redmond and the putting
Of the Home Rule bill on the statute
book"
What has been said in this telegram
about Irish opinion in Buffalo is true,
in my opinion, Of every other city in
the United States where there is
large body of lrishmen. I have already
set forth so often my own strong views
about this war that il is not necessary
10 do more than recapitulate them
briefly. I was, from the first moment
the issue was raised-even before the
declaration Of war came-convinced
that Prussian militarism was a menace
not only TO the British Empire, TO
France and to Belgium, but also 70
Christianity, TO civilization and to all
the ideals Of democracy.
THE Irish with whom ] am best &C
qusinted having lived among them Tor
nearly half a century and been the
president of their organization for
thirty years in succession, are the
Irish in Great Britain. | have held
several recruiting meetings already IN
the chief Irish centres in Great Brit
ain.
Only a Few Cranks Excepted.
81 have never heard at these vast
gatherings of several thousands one
whisper of dissent from my views,
and, what is much more signihcant
and important. | have received intor-
nation, backed in some cases by lists
OF the men, that some $4,000 men
either of Irish birth or of Irish descent
living in Great Britain, have already
Joined the flag. II you except score
or two of cranks who have always
been opposed to Mr.. Redmond and his
party. / can say that the two millions
of Irish men and women living IN
Great Britain are with the Allies,
heart and soul, enthusiastically, un-
questionably, unanimously. -
Finally, some Of the most notable
Nstionalists are offering their ser
vices AT the front, and most promi-
nent Irishmen have relatives who are
now lighting or will be soon hghting
for ali those great causes which ar"
involved in this conflict. This war,
- I'll Ia tragic horrors. has az