The Irish standard., 1915-09-11

Continued from Page ~
about these atrocities; it might not
stimulate recruiting. Only fort
night ago, in Dublin, two little nurse
maids Of is and 16, respectively, in
charge of soldiers families, brought
charges of indecent assault and of
rape against their masters. There
was medical evidence in support of the
girls stories, but both the charges
were dismissed. The soldiers testi-
mony, and that of his friends, in each
case outweighed that of the girl-the
girls not being Belgians, but mere
Irish. The Crown prosecuted in the
most perfunctory manner. These
cases, which have been shown up in
the Spark and in the Irish Citizen
are making people wake up and won
der whether the German soldiers are
the only Huns in the world"
"The Irish Citizen is your own
paper?"
eyes; my wife is running it during
my absence; it is published in the
interests of the Woman Suffrage move
ment. And In this connection l
should like to say, on behalf of two
movements with which l have been
associated, that the war crisis has
proved the falsity of the allegations
that either the Irish Suffrage move
ment or the Irish Labor movement
was anti-National. That charge has
been freely made, by the Redmonite
party, which, owing to it's dependence
on the English Liberal government,
has become anti-Suffragist and anti
Labor, and which therefore en-.
deavored to suggest that these two
movements were inspired by secret
anti-National designs-the Redmond
party, of course, assuming that it had
a monopoly on Nationalism. Since
the war broke out, the action both of
the Irish Suffragettes and of the Irish
Labor party, and their total repudia-
ton, in each case, of the pro-war &C.
tion of prominent English Suffragettes
and Labor men, shows that these
democratic movements we're all along
nearer in essence to the true spirit of
Nationalism than the Redmonite
party"
"You were supporter of the Par.
liamentary party?"
yes; as an active member of the
Young Ireland branch of the United
Irish League-the branch that gave
Messrs. Kettle and Hazleton to the
Irish party-I took part in the fight
against Slim Fein. have always sup
ported militant Parliamentary action,
and was prepared, If any reasonable
or workable form of Home Rule was
given to Ireland, to try to work it,
within the Empire. The war, which
has made Imperialists of some former
extremists has turned me in the op-
posite direction. am now Sepa.
ratist without qualification, as l am
convinced that SO long as Ireland is
bound by any tie to the Empire, so
long shall we be in danger of being
dragged into unjust piratical adven-
lures like the present war for the
domination of the seas. Irelands
greatest need is peace and peaceful
development; it must have the right
to remain neutral in this or any future
war, like Holland or Switzerland to-
day; and to attain that right, 1t must
become absolutely independent, like
those small, neutral, and prosperous
countries"
I'm this connection" added Mr..
Skefflngton, "as have borne testi-
mony to the work of old. friends, l
wish to say word for an old enemy.
I have the reputation in Ireland, of
being an anti-cleric, based on my In
dictment, In my Life Of Davitt,' Of the
Catholic clergy for various anti-Na.
tional and anti,democratic actions. I
want to say. therefore, that the atti.
tude of the Catholic bishops and clergy
with a few exceptions) has been very
patriotic and praiseworthy during this
war. They have acted and spoken for
peace, while the clergy and bishops Of
the Protestant churches (outside the
Quakers) were Illuminating for war.