The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-03
IRISH NATIONALISTS.
They See In England's Dihiculty Ire
lands Opportunity.


To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-sir: 1t
is singular that nearly every man who
essays to e~nlightcn bcnighted Irish Ma
tionalists assume an air OF wisdom ana
rectitude. The wise n good men have
a monopoly of all the fountains OF
knowledge and every lrishman who
stands squarely for Irish nationality is
represented as q generation behind the
times. James Reilly. whose letter to
THE SUN Of March 80 on the Ireland of
to-day have read. Is no exception Ia
the general run Of the anti-Irish and
pro-Ally sages.
Mr.. Reilly exaggerates when he says
that hundreds Of thousands of IRISH
men, arc serving in the British army
This hundreds Of t~housands' fairy tale
hobs up every week In spite of the OIL
cial figures Of recruiting In Ireland.
According to Lord Wimbornc's report,
the number of recruits secured In Ire
land from August 1. 1914, to January
5 last was S6.277. Exaggeration is not
an attribute OF wisdom.
In other particulars Mr.. Reilly seems
to have only a very superficial knoNl-
edge Of Ireland. lie says:
The England Of to-day Is not the Eng
land Of a generation ago. II It were. a
corporals guard could not be enlisted In
Ireland for service In the British army.
Is It not q fact that wellington's army
was ee-fourths Irish at a time when
the people were ground to the dust by
unjust laws and landlord exactions
What did the irish people gain for the
services OF wellington's Irish soldiers
Needless to say. the usual doses OF
coercion. harshness and insult were ad-
ministered with the usual regularity.
What generous amends has England
made for past misdeeds? The land legis.
lation will be given an an INSTANCE. The
and laws were the result of blood and
suffering. The shooting OF landlords. land
agents, land grabbers and the hanging
OF peasants arrested the attention of
the world. The sacrifices made by many
farmers for the public good and the
general suffering endured by the people
were responsible for the land act of
1881. the foundation Of all subseauen,
land legislation. Gladstone in introduce
ing the land bill OF 1881 said that It's
aim was ito bring ireland back 20 a
civilized and Christian existence
Bloodshed. violence. sacrifice and SUI
fcring, not the good will OF the English
people, are responsible for tho improved
status OF the Irish farmers.
AS FOR the home rule act. now hung
up" in cold storage it is not constitu'
oti 'Cuo III 90 ~
IL understood In Canada. Australia OF
South Africa. This restricted and halt
ing measure of self-eovernmcnt leave.
the Irish question unsettled.
Does Mr.. Reilly understand Irish la
tionality? There Is a vast chasin be
tween independence II dependence
between freedom II v~assalage. Tn.
lrishman who stands for Ireland as a
component part Of the British Empire
is = British imperialist, not an lrisl
Nationalist. The Irish people. thos,
who have always kept alive the spirit
OF ireland as a nation, are opposed &c
English rule. good or bad.
Mr.. Reilly has evidently lost touch
with Irish matters, or else he would
know that all the old animosities be
tween the Irish n the English still
survive and there seems To be no pros,
pect that this III feeling will die out IL
our day or generation. AS an instancs
OF this racial hatred ! will cite the cas-,
OF Mr.. Chevasse, professor of languages
at oxford University. who was fineo
s25 with costs on February ? at tn,
Macroom Petty Sessions for speaking ii
Irish TO the E~aI!irg!ary ru!!cc. This /.
an example OF England's solicitude fo-
small national!ties.
Another instance Of this racial ~ vii
Mas exhibited as late as March 10 In
Liverpool. where Irish laborcrs were at,
tackled 10y an English mob and on.
young man died OF his injuries. TIL.
Same report states that in many Of ths
large English centres the hostility
against the Irish was so bitter thai
numbers Of Irish laburers had To bea'
i hasty retreat across the Irish Sea.
The mobbins OF Irish emicrants al
the Liverpool docks a few months az,
was featured in the American pres.
and need not be enlarged on here.
The suppression of several Irish news
papers and the Imprisonment OF hun,
dreds of lr!shmen under the defence OF
the realm act prove that ireland is still
treated as a conquered country.
Far from Ireland being prosperous
her population is yearly decreasing anc
her young men and worn"n have t. sccl
Il livelihood outside Of Ireland. VIVA
would be the opinion Of an american
on a city or State which showed 3
steady decrease In population? Woul,
il be "slled "A sign OF prosperity?
Irish Nationalist are not compctinl
with the tsrsoni'cs IN LOYALTY To Ia.
British Empire. bn the contrary, they
are trimming their sails to make Eng
lands difficulty irelaud's opportunity.
II. 8. FOLEY.
New YORK. April /.