New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1915-03-13
ENLISTMENT IRELAND'S
DOOM.

pie OF Belgium were happy, col
tented, prosperous and at peac
with the world. Cultivatols @
the soil and pre-emlnent in lean
ing, art and science. they littl
thought that the grim yisage o
war was soon to darken thei
hospitable and friendly heartl
Suddenly and with irreslstibI
fury its gaunt figure rushes acros
the threshold and grapples il
fierce combat the coniiding am
unsuspectiny Belgian. His clie
FOR assistance are heard in Eng
land and France, and as tn,
drowning man who hears tn,
shouts of encouragement from hi
approaching rescuers struggle
desperately to keep afoat, so die
Belgium battle against over
whelming odds in the hope shat
the promised assistance would ar
rive before it was too late. Franco
shouted hold out for twenty four
hours. hold Jiege for a week and
a million men will be there TO as
sist. Belgium held Liege not for
a week but for three weeks and
no Frenchman came. For six
weeks they fought from town to
town against the greatest army
in the world, and finally nrade
their last glorious stand at Ant
weip, where British relief was
promised by land and sea. Eng
land failed to keep faith as she
has often done before, and Bel
GUM was lost. How many Eng
1ish soldiers fell on Belgian soil
Is a pertinent question Betrayed,
bewildered and dismayed. the
Belgians fled to English shores
expecting the protection that a
grateful country should lavish
npon It's prcservers. only to find
the expression Of that gratitude
In the soup line and paupcr insti-
tutlons of the country. f ance
and Russia are relatively in the
same position as were the Bel
gians when they sacrificed their
peace, prosperity and 60 ntry
for the protection of English com
France and Rrssia
are exhausting their resources ir
behalf of England, and when the
war is over they will be so weak
ened that they will not recover
for a half century at least. Thus
England will have nothing to fear
from them as possible enemies.
She has set the European nations
1t the throat Of one another and
stands lbv arrayed and prepared
% pOunce upon the exhausted vic
sOr as he stands painting over his
,rOsti'ate foe. In this UNEQUAL
contest she expects an easy vic
,Ory. This is the dream of her
and should it prove
rue, then shall the much dreaded
nilitarism of the present fade
nto insignificance when com
Jared with the new Caesar that c
hall rule land and sea. Irish :
men are to be used in the same
The more of them she t
an get out of the country and 9
n the firing line, the less danger
rom uprisings in Ireland and the Q
more futile the attempt of the 4
rish to grasp the opportunity '
resented in England's hour of c
Before enlisting we e
o not ask Irishmen to remember n
be past deeds of violence and in b
lstice suffered under English '
nle. We ask them to look to- q
ards Belgium, whose patriots J
sved France from destruction .
nd England from invasion, and 7
rhold its reward! Belgium II
eserted graveyard, it's starving e.
,fugees, who should be honored Il
nests of The English nation, OBJ !.
cts Of the soupers" charity
nd inmates of pauper institu-
ons. Betrayed and slaughtered
elgium points its finger of docr
wards Ireland and warns the
ish people of the fate that
waits them and their country.
ould they, relying upon Fro !"
III promises, enlist in the army
the allies. The Hibernia. Dos
Il, Mass
------ O.