The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-22


 Lord of Hosts may out of the pres ent titanic struggle bring freedom to l "the most distressful country" he at once places me on par with the Ger mans whose "refinement of mind, nor als and taste" he confesses himself un- able to grasp. He then proceeds to lecture me round1y.
 am perfectly willing to be placed with my Teuton friends I would, I confess it. choose their company any day in preference to either the Anglo Saxon or the American, hyphenated or otherwise. who longs for the success of that nation that has
 and with tears"
 Of course Mir. Craig has every right to object to "Is This the Hour" The verse is poor, he says. Indeed, I free ly admit it, I who am passionately fond of true poetry, and whose fla 1 vorite poet is whisper it not in Gath" the late poe laureate, not the latest, little Alfred, but Alfred, Lord Ten nyson. The poor quality of the verse,
 
 tween MT. Craig and myself "Is This the Hour" is to him wholly and from every viewpoint, objectionable I will reply to a few of his strictures in au explanatory manner, not excusing my self, being we'll aware, "qui's excuse S accuse'
 MT. Craig is evidently under the inn pression that in Ireland today the Irish people are united with England in opposition to a common foe. and that only a few of the Sim Fein party are in opposition This, indeed. is far from being the case. Many indeed of the Irish, too many, are pro-aliies, but there Is in Ireland strong neutral not to say pro-German, spirit among many. True, the elected representa- tives, be it remembered without man | date from the country, are urging young Irishmen to fight England's S | battles. Why they do so is amazing, | seeing that nearly 100000 are already enrolled and that if Englishmen en- rolled in like proportion her army would be eight million men. True Irish men have won recognition and rewards | for valor on the battlefield. They are 1 true to the traditions of the fighting race, the race that gave Wellington, l Napoleon's conqueror; Kitchener of Khartoum, and Roberts of Candahar. | erloo
 To Egypt and Dargai
 And still there's enough for corps or 1 crew,
 | Kelly and Burke and Shea"
 The existence and activity of the 1, party that opposes recruiting is care- fully concealed in the news that the English censor allows to come 10 this | country, but since the commencement of the present year seven papers that did not suit the administration have been suppressed. The defense of the | realm act empowering the authorities to try by summary court martial any person suspected of saying, writing or doing anything deemed injurious to his | majesty's forces and to sentence to | death or Imprisonment persons con- victed of such offense has been in &C., tive operation in Ireland. In that land | at present it is seditious to tell the | young men of Ireland that their plain duty to their country $ to till the fields and till the soil and not fill the trenches of France and Flanders, that by right should be filled with those Englishmen who are shirlxing their duty and spending their time at foot Eall and cricket matches, "flanneled fools at the wicket and muddied oafs at the goal"
 | ing stronger, that party that is fight ing the inroads of jingoism and West Britainism, that party that prcclaims the immortal existence of Irish nation ality as something apart from England and the English. To that party once John Redmond belonged. Speaking ir 1905, just 10 years ago. he said, q am not sure that if they disfranchist Ireland altogether and drive every Irishman out of the House of Com mons that Ireland's power to win free dom would not be even greater. IT fighting against us our enemies arc fighting against a thing that is as tn air, invulnerable. that is as tho rpirit of man, immortal. Nothing, no provi. sion, no power, no wealth. can destroy the essential element of our movement which is this-by the decree of the Al. mighty we are distinct nation art by the service and the bravery and the courage and sacrifice of our fora fathers we have distinct history full of suffering. perhaps, but full of glor,