Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-05-02
Sir Roger Easement
Padriao Column in New York Post

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L. that tells more about the himself than any
thing outsider could write II Is sonnet
to Hamcar Barea- Eagle Of Eyrx' Is his saIutation
TO the Punio champion, AMI he speaks Of him al
though baffled by Roman craft and power, having
still claws to cling and beak 10 KILL" and being
able 10 make a fastness where Punic faith might yet
DO kept Easement thought OF himself as being Eueh
champion for the Irish people. He thought OF MAX
Ing fastness where Celtic faith might bs keptthe
faith that Ireland has separate destiny, and has
mo right TO create culture and competence for
itself
But II will be said. this man Easement took service
with tho British and accepted its pay and
It's honors lie had right then TO stand out as
the champion Of Irish separateness II Easement
spoken to about this he would certainly say; II
have taken service not with exclusively English
government but with tho government OF the United
Kingdoms OF Great Britain and Ireland" He entered
the service OF the government Of Great Britain and
ireland as Hungarian might enter the Austro Hun.
gariAn service He in that service TO see that
thu interest Of Ireland we'll the interest or
Great Britain was served,
n he detected the foreign offioe working against
the interest Of Ireand-ns he certainly did upon ono
oceaaion-ho was there 10 tell them that they were
dsloyai 10 one Of the firm that paid for their up
Keep In Brazil he found that tho consular stationery
was headed Consulate OF Great Britain" lie pointed
out 20 the foregn office that this heading un-
constitutional. and he would not use the stationery.
The foreign office ordered that his office be supplied
with stationery that had the proper constitutional
heading Consulate OF Great Britain and ireland"
When the foreign office acted disoyay towards tho
irish people and the Irish mercantile interests In
gard 10 tho call Of liners at the port Of
Queenstown, Easement exposed their methods
Easement bears name that seems non irish But
IN signing II In Irish he makes II "ManAsmund,"
showing that he considers himself Of MorAe.0ae OK
traction. In appearance no does not conform TO any
Irish type, Tall, bearded, with black hair and re-.
dan ri sAfth "A
speech, with nervous and commanding bearing he
looks onos notion OF castlian noblenan. ITO has
the most romantic distinction OF any man ever saw
often noticed people turn In the Dublin streets 10
look at him When 1 think Of him now, l always
SEQ ono picture. IL IL bare. wipd-swept bridge IN
Dublin, and Il 'is past midnight There Is only one
figure on tho bridge-a blind beggsr woman who has
stood the~ all day ana ID turning 20 go home /
am coming from newspaper office and stop speak
70 her. Another figure up and halts and speaks
10 her, TOO. ~ is Roger Easement, lie speaks 10
her IN that voice that has such remarkable quality
voice that sounds 10 me as n speaking
30 ~ 10 make some one IN drawing under
stand profoundly tragic thing sure that II that
old woman had been abls TO look on him she would
have thought that Easement was tho most oourty
gentleman she had ever seen.
We are known 10 each other. talk for . few
moments, cannot recall his words but know that
the sight Of that town where only the tho poor moved
about and the sight Of tho gaunt. blind woman made
him speak Of n noble thing Impoverished and de-
graded. Ireland, capable OF chiyalry and apendor,
condemned 10 shuffng existence~that his con-
slant meditation ] almost believe that the bitter
words OF tho Gaelic poet are written on his heart
Hard Il IL 10 see the Arbitress OF Thrones
Welded to saxoneen OF cold and sapless bones
This fact must be understood about Easement.
that he hates the British empire and that he has no
liking whatever for the English people individually.
TO him the British empire appears "as one OF the
terrible parasitic plants OF tho Java forests that
strange the nelghboring 10 that they become
IT'S supports" He could not think Ireland as part
OF British federation Tho Ireland OF his dream IL
the revival Of the Ireland that his heroes tho three
oHcills-shane Hugh and owen Roe-fought for.
Most Irish people like EngliAh people individually
whilo dislltng the government they impose upon Ire
land Easement never had good word for indi-
vidual Englishmen But he loved the people OF Ire.
land-these young men, especially the young men
Shorn OF opportunities, yet ideastic and trust
ing-the thought Of them went 10 hts heart
met him IN brooklyn In september. 1914 Just before
he went 10 Germany and when spoke 10 him about
tho determination the young men 10 hold tho arms
they had got. he greatly moved
Easement with his deep love and his bitter hatred
has also an exceptional knowledge the worlds af
fairs After hearing him talk in 1913 the writings OF
most publicists seem TO to DO obscure and ILL
informed lilo foretold most OF the combinations in
the present war lie know that war between Ger
many ana England would come within a few years
How could those who wied separate ireland take
looked by Germany BroodIng upon this. Easement
made redlseovery. Tho position OF Ireland was such
that no nation striving TO break down the English
lordshp OF the could overlook H. 1t was the
possossson OF lreandthe country that is tho link be.
tween the scandinavian and the lberan penlnsuias
and between Europe and America-that gave England
control Of the With Ireland no longer an ISLAND
beyond an island" but part OF Europe tho seas
would again be free and open. With such an idea II
was natural that Easement should so to Berlin and
4 was natural too, that he should strive to land
armed forces In ireland.
Ireland can only he free and secure by again be-
coming part Of Europe: Europe only win the free
dom OF the seas by making ireland part not of a
British. but OF European System--that is Case.
ments political doctrine
lie has written Ireland has failed 20 win ia free
dom, not 30 much beeauso Il has failed 10 shed its
blood, In. because its situation in the world ia Just
tho UNIQUE situation have sought 20 depict. he.
LONGING 20 Europe. II has not been OF Europa. and
hnsiand. with presidency that would ho admirable
were 4 not 80 criminal In intention and effect has
bent All IL efforts all its ytgor unsWerVing policy
and rtiesa swon 70 extend the limits OF exclusion
To approach Ireland at an since the first Ensilah