The Irish standard., 1915-03-20

by side with Germany, and against
England. The cost in blood would be
about the same in both cases, but the
cost in money would be very different.
If Ireland fights against England the
indemnity would be imposed on Eng
land alone, and perhaps in the event
of German victory, in addition to the
indemnity which England would have
to pay Germany, Germany, being
kind neighbor, might insist that she
pay Ireland an indemnity, too for cen
turtles of robbery, so that Ireland
could start housekeeping on cash
basis.
But they tell us that ireland sepa-
rated from England could not exist,
would not be able to support govern
ment. Now, the capacity of every coun-
try must be measured by it's food pro-
duction. In 1S47, the year of the
famine, Ireland had eight millions and
a half of people, and in spite of the fail
ure of practically the whole potato
crop she produced food enough for
double that number of human beings
Agriculture was very backward at that
time. With the wonderful develop
ments that have taken place since
then, and with the new system of in
tensive cultivation, seeing that Ireland
was able to produce food enough for
seventeen millions of people in 1S47,
it is safe to assume that she would be
able to produce food for several mil
lions more now. Ireland, with her re-
sources properly developed, could give
employment to millions of people be-
sides those engaged in agriculture, and
could support population of at least
twenty or twenty-five millions.
From the military point of view Ire
land is one of the most defensible
countries on the face of Gods earth.
And think that you will all admit
that the Irish have earned the name
they have got as "the fighting race"
and that, therefore, Ireland would be
perfectly able to hold her own and de-
fend her independence, no matter by
whom it might be attacked. Instead
of having the shadow of the tremen-
dous power of England hanging over
her to brighten her young men, the
very separation of Ireland from Eng
land would sound the death knell of
the British Empire. 1t is the posses
sion and control of ireland which en-.
ables England to hold the Empire to-
gether and to keep her mastery of the
seas. Ireland stands between England
and the Atlantic, as England stands
between Eastern and Central Europe
and the highway of commerce to the
West. With Ireland an Independent
state that position would be reversed
and England would be a weak power,
instead of the dominating one she is
now, and l am inclined to think that
the new and recognized England
would be better country for the or
binary run of Englishmen than it is
now. But l don't care whether that
would come about or not.
Now as to the chance of winning
Irish independence. For more than
fifty years, l might say for one hun.
dred years, the men who believed in
Irish independence, while always very
numerous, were a minority But minor
tiles always make history. A minority
forced the American Revolution and
: carried 1t to successful termination
and it has been so in all history. While
the majority Of the Irish people be
lieve in the ideal of independence
they believed also that it was impos
sible to achieve it, They thought il
!, was not question of practical politics
and that they had better take what
: they could get. Now, that was al
right, and we all agree with them thai
it was perfectly right to take all they
. could get, provided they did not &C
;. cept a payment of 10 per cent. as 6
final settlement of England's debt. Yo,
can hardly blame them for that belief
and we are willing to forgive the mer
who differed with us and called us
fools, impracticables and cranks be
: cause we never lost faith in the ulti
: mate independence of Ireland. Yo,
: all know from talking with your neigh
bors that thousands of men who differ
! ed with you in the past are changing
their minds. The war is changing
: everything. We know-we are abso
lutely certain-that what is going or
I in the minds of an ever growing mum
Der of people Of Ireland does not find
expression in the speeches of vena
politicians or in the articles of sub
Il sidized papers, or in the utterances Of
public bodies dominated by the mos
corrupt political machine in the world
a machine created and sustained by
e money collected in America unde,
false rretences. We know that there
l. are twenty men in Ireland today who
believe as you in this hall believe fol
the one there was before the outbreak
I of the war. So that If the op
l. portunity comes-and that opportunity
q would only come in case of an in
9 vasion of England-it is reasonable t.
g expect that two hundred Thousand