The Washington herald., 1916-05-22
Easements Madness.


Poultney Bgelow, in an article in the New
York Times Magazine, publishes dozen letters
written to hun by Sir Roger Easement in 1914,
while the latter was in this country, and which
reveal his bitterness against England. Intro
ductory to the letters Mr.. Bigelow writes
Even so early as when | first knew him his
devotion to British interests strong that
an official report to him not complete
until he had personally verified all possible de-
tails He was in the habit of starting off like
another Haroun al Raschid alone or attended
only by trusty native servant and taking
tramps of days and weeks through the tropical
jungle IN order to see justice done or know the
reason why.
This hatred of injustice and fearlessness in
seeking redress made him a most ovable char
acter to me and modern embodiment OF the
From Portuguese Delagoa Bay he trans
ferred in the line OF promotion to the Congo
and afterward to Brazil consul general, each
post tropical one and each offering abundant
scope for his powers of protecting the
natives against the harsh treatment OF CONNER
cial exploiters.
matter of twenty years. during which time we
have corresponded with frankness although meet
ing but rarely. Such a temperament as his
could not brook the enforced idleness that comes
las a curse in our army and navy no less than
in the British consular service when a hand
some retiring pension IS granted by grateful
government to those who have served their
country with distinction. The habit of strenuous
investigation and labor cannot be abandoned
overnight and we have noticed in some OF our
ablest officers of the army and navy dangerous
symptoms of eccentricitv if not insanity
result OF reaching the official age-limt wher
their energies are practically at the height MoItke
was 70 when he planned the battles OF Marsha
Tour and Gravelotte, Blucher also 10 past
when he shook hands with Wellington after
Waterloo Imagine the brains of those men
condemned to innoCuous desuetude at 63 and
you may imagine at the time strange
vagares which in this year Of grace would
probably resolve themselves into pacilsm or pro-
Easement commenced his career of madness
through a too strenuous study of Irish mythology
masquerading under the name of history. Little
by little he became a victim to that species
of auto-intoxicaton which eliminates in the
orator who delights St. Patrick's Day banquet
by frothing at the mouth as he portrays an
imaginary paradise converted into a bowling
wilderness by the cruelty of Saxon domination
Easements latter-day dream to forbid the
use Of English words or wares in Ireland, to
Hlbernize the Emerald Isle Prussia sought to
Germanize her Polish provinces. Only a mad
man could go to Berlin for help in starting
republic and the fact that Easement trusted
for an English court desrous of committing him
to a santarium rather than the scafold.
The letters all fall within the first year Of
the and contain abundant evidence Of their
writer's madness and generous qualities Ny own
letters to Easement if he has preserved them will
show that his present ending was foreseen by
me- and that l did what could to open his eyes
to the treachery of our hyphenated politicians
who would use his name and talents they
once used those of Henry George. They killed
Henry George and another victim Of Irish
American politics may be added, that of my
dear old friend Sir Roger Easement
One OF Easements letters, dated Philadelphia,
July g. 1914 relates interesting incidents of his
visit to Norfolk, Va He writes:
got Bourke Cochran at Port Washington to
come to Norfolk with me and addressed a mighty
gathering Of Irishmen there It was great fun-but
hot-& relieved my feelings by ducking a Coon"
8 cents 2 shy!l off a sliding board pool by
hitting the bulls eye (an OVID with tennis ball
The Coon enjoyed the bath & SO did the good shot
I go probably to z. Cochran for dav on Mon
day q may then go to Boston for . day-but
hv 6 August ought to be thrO with OF my
plans free for your Hudson highlands & swim
per hour in the Hudson.
The papers here are photoing all the
SPOT Il my face Is being sold TO me by small bows
in the streets Many things amuse a stranger here
all interest him & the people themselves are the
most interesting of all.
This War-like bolt from the Plue--in Europe
may be the end Of all things. If Germany fights.
Ct T. viii have TO whether she likes it or not.
Germany will not let John Bull sit tight & come
in the peace conditions. with uniniured arma-
ments to boss exhausted world. Germany is right
thcre-so IL she has to fight she will that J. Bull
fights too nolens vOleHs e God help all II this
the universal Peace Year.