St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-05-03
The Irish Revolt.

One Of the distressing develop
ments Of the war is the open revolt
Of small section of Obstetrics at the
against the English government. The
Irish people have been subjected to
the most terrible hardships and
wrongs in the past but for many years
have been coming into their own.
Whatever justice they have received
has come from the English govern
ment and there is indication that
government is ready to go even fur
Their in granting the Irish their
rights. To conspire with the most
powerful enemy of England in such
a crisis as the present must be disap-
pointing to the real friends of Ire
land. That it is the statements Of
John Redmond, the leader of the
Irish nationalist in the House of
Commons, clearly show. In a state
ment he said in part:
NV first feeling. of course, on hear
ing Of this insane movement, was one
of horror, disbursement, and almost
despair. 1 asked myself whether
Ireland. as so often before in her
tragic history. was to dash the cup of
liberty from her lips.
Look at the Irish position today.
In the short space of 40 years Ire
land mas, by a constitutional move
ment, made an almost unbrokenly
triumphant march from pauperism
and slavery to prosperity and free
dom. She has won back the possess
sion of Irish land; she has stayed emil
grafton; she has at last begun an era
of national prosperity. Finally, she
has succeeded in placing on the stat
ute books the greatest charter of free
dom ever offered her since the days
of Grattan. Is all this to be lost?
This attempted deadly blow at home
rule carried on through this section
is made. more wicked, more insolent,
by this fact-that Germany plotted
=
it. Germany organized it, Germany
paid for it. So far as Germany's
share in it is concerned, it is a Ger
man invasion of Ireland as brutal, as
selfish, as cynical as Germany's in
vasion of Belgium. Blood has been
shed and if Ireland has not been re-
duced to the same horrors of Belgium
with her starving people. her mas
sacred priests, and her violated con-
vents, it is not the fault Of Germany.
I might add that this movement
has been set in motion by this same
class of men at the very moment
when America is demanding repara-
ton for the blood of innocent Ameri-
Germany, and thus they are guilty of
double treason-treason to the gem
erous land that received them, as well
as to the land which gave them birth.
While the censorship will not allow
the full truth to become known we
believe the revolt represents but
small part of the Irish people and
that the great bulk of Irishmen are
proving loyal to their country and the
cause of the small nation throughout
the world.
Everyone is pleased with the action
of Gov. Gates in appointing Charles
A. Calderwood of this town a trustee
of the State Hospital for Insane to
fill the vacancy caused by the reslgna-
ton Of DR.. C. L. Irwin. Mr.. Calder
wood had rendered the state such
service that he was entitled to a re-
appointment by Gov. Gates predeces-
sor but that executive was noted for
turning against his friends and those
who had won recognition. Gov.
Gates has done what he can to right
the wrong and we are confident the
Gen. Obregon, Carranza's represent
alive, says he can assure Gen. Scott
that Carranza is perfectly able to sup
press the whole Villista forces. If he
would really suppress Villa and his
followers it would have more weight
with the United States than the strong
est assurances Gen. Obregon can utter
in any big talk fest with our represent
atives.