The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-06-03

Toronto correspondent brought reli-
gion and the Hierarchy into the ques-
tion-where they do not rightly be.
long. Questions of creed should not
be allowed to Obscure national issues
nor national questions religious is
sues. They are things apart.
And just as Notwithstanding Irish
men-or women-do not permit poll
tician to dictate to them in their reli-
gion, neither will they have their ma
tional or political adhesions suggested
to them by clergyman. make this
statement without bias, for l happen
to be an adherent of the same Faith
as your clerical correspondent.
The question of self-government for
Ireland should have nothing whatever
to do with the religion of the Irish.
England's premier nobleman, the Cath
Ole Duke of Norfolk, is quite as bitter
an opponent of Home Rule for Ireland
as Lord Lansdowne or the late Mar
quis of Londonderry.
Moreover, this war in Europe has
shown on both sides that religious diff
ferences crumple away like ashes be.
for the call of the race and danger to
the Homeland. Why not in Ireland as
elsewhere?
In the Socialist or Larkin party,
made up of men disconnected with the
very bad labor conditions Of Dublin,
there are, as in all Socialist parties
several men who are anti-clerical. A
well-balanced Scotch Socialist, who be-
| lieves very firmly in Christianity and
clerics tells me this state of mind is
induced among Socialists by the neg
obtuse individual clergymen to meas
ures of social and labor reform. An
| unsympathetic clergyman, without the
, faculty for social service, may per
, form his religious duties in a highly
! exemplary manner, yet once outside
that sphere can loom so large and un.
pleasantly that he blots out Christian.
ity altogether for the impatient re-
former or man suffering daily for lack
of living wage.
This occasionally happens, even in
Ireland and notwithstanding Pope
Leos superb encyclical on labor, which
| was trumpet call to all his bishops
and priests to busy themselves earn
estly with social reform.
Redmond. as your correspondent
states, is a Catholic. But why bring
his religion into a discussion of the
| recent trouble? Eoin MacNeil, the
head of the Irish Volunteers, Par
rell-like Irishman, for whom the
younger elements of Ireland clamored
last year as national leader, is also
Catholic. Padriac Pearse, leader OF
the insurrectionist Sim Feins, was a
| Catholic too, and man of rare gentle
ness Of soul and piety Sir Roger Case
ment and other leaders of the move
nlent are Anglicans. Parnell. though
not a Catholic, was great and well
loved leader Of Catholic Ireland, who
had he not fallen into the trap sc
cleverly laid for him could have led his
followers to victory.
1t may be recalled here that Pad
raic Pearse and the Sim Feins in max
ing their surrender stipulated that
| they be permitted to go down O'Con
nell street and lay their arms at the
feet of Parnell-the indomitable. in
Credulous, stubborn Slim Fein warrior
of an earlier day. 1t was for many OF
those gifted young intellectuals theil
last tribute Of respect for one who had
fought for his country. And they knew
lit.
There is something about that actor
of the heartbroken, defeated Sinr
Eeins that has poignant stab in il
for anyone of genuine Irish feeling
For Redmond or MacNeil followers
Sim Fem or Connolly's man of ole
Gaelic stock, or those newer Irish, who
have thrown in their lot with the ole
we are Irishmen all. One does moi
cast out the wild or daring any more
than the overheard member of the
family. Families and nations are God
inspired institutions, designed for the
protection of every member of them.
And assuredly there should be fra
ternal love and infinite federation
where 700 years Of tragedy and the
painful, confusing results of rule from
outside make Irelands case-as Cor
don of khartoum once said of 1.-THE
most miserable and pathetic in all the
civilized world.
| KATHERINE HUGHES.
| SPLENDID REQUEST.
: Tho hu1lx IF an estate Of naar;,