New-York tribune., 1916-07-08
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: In what personal legal case would II
be possible for the accusing party to be final
irdge Of the accused? Or. if there we're
grounds for a counter charge against the
plaintiff in palliaton of the offence Of the
defendant. where is the court where IL would
not be allowed? Yet our machinery for the
trial OF cases nation versus nation. is still the
witless one Of war. and for the trial Of
cases. nation versus individual. presents the
example cited above namely, the accuscr as
final Judge of the defendant
II this were the enlightened time we boast
there would be at hand world court which.
for Engand's charge OF treason against
Easement. would be called upon to pass on a
counter charge against her Of the interna-
tional crime Of forcible dominion over an un-
wiling people But the condition Of fore BILE
dominion among nations is one so hoary and
familiar that it is taken for granted, and no
universal verdict against it has ever yet been
pronounced; to write the phrase describing
it seems fantastic even. as something rela-
tive TO a state fair and reasonable, too far
beyond US in this disjointed time.
Yet is it not the substance of perhaps the
greatest question stirring and waking among
the nations at present the question that
the conflict across the ocean is to answer,
rather than to answer any less socially vital
questions OF relative supremacy Of the great
powers? For surely the unwelcome dominion
Of ono people over another, by conquest or
BY subtlcr methods OF gradual usurpation Of
political or other rights and privileges, is
the cause Of all international unrest II
would seem that this is an nescapable point
Of view, and in the light of it, the case of
Great Britain VS. Easement transcends it's
personal phases and becomes a universal
issue. important most of all because il
demonstrates the incomplete stage of de-
\ leopment at which the world has arrived in
the prosecution Of questions between ma
tions. or in the trial Of political offences Of
individuals It becomes more than only a
case Of England VS. Casemcnta case Of
empire rs. the rights Of society to unpre-
JUDGED hearing before a tribunal represent
ative Of the principle OF freedom; cross
roads point in international law between the
traditional methods of darker past and a
present which insists upon challenging them.
For il people by right of differing race
and a previous establishment Of nationality
claims itself TO be a nation against the
claim to dominion over il By another nation
claimed by the first to have arbitrarily
usurped that dominion. in any fair state Of
international justice one party to the con-
tention would have as free right and chance
to have its case tried on its merits By i'm
partial judges as another. Yet Easement is
being tried as an individual, not a represent
ative of a nation, and charged with betray-
ing a government assumed by his opponent
TO be Easements own, but which Easement
denies TO be so, and Is supported in his de-
NAL by great proportion Of his own people
1t is not necessary to enter upon the
merits Of the case, either side 10 make this
point, which is purely preliminary. The re-
lations of England and Ireland are now ex-
tremcly complex II would be simple If the
present might call to account and punish
the past of Elizabeth and Cromwell and the
Penal Laws. But since then certain antilles
have been established. certain ties, industrial
and social, made which must be accounted
even though on the other hand industrial and
political exploitation Of ireland by England
still exists and brings its own need Of re-
sentiment and hostility. But il is to be noted
that where the antilles exist they are through
independent social and industrial intercourse
Of the people Where there is exploitation
and consequent hostility politics is at the
bottom of 1t, for politics has its hands on
trade as on other things. And the case must
rest here, 10 judge it fairly. drawing line
sharply between such natural antilles as
come through the body of the people on the
one side. and on the other the forced