The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-05-13
A TRAGIC WEEK.

A TRAGIC WEEK.
Our sympathies naturally go out
to the misguided men who raised
the standard of revolt III Ireland
a fortnight ago, and who So utter
" failed i'll their attempt, because
we do not for moment doubt
their sincerity. They thought
they were acting for the best in
terests Of Ireland in taking advan-
tage Of the present world condi-
tions to make an attempt to lib
crate their fatherland from the
century-old yoke Of English domi-
nation. They made mistake i'll
allowing their memories Of the
dead past, filled, though it be,
with unparalleled persecution and
oppression of all kinds, to rob
them Of their reason. What pos
sible hope could there be i'll the
breast Of even the most sanglline
that few hundred rebel swords
at most could sever the tics that
hold ireland in subsection to the
neighboring Isle; that, at the com
mand Of a few rabid leaders the
whole. country would rise up in
arms and enable the nation to
s'o'er leap the dark bounds of her
doom, and for one sacred instant
touch hberty,s goal?" The
chance Of success which alone
could afford the slightest justifica-
ton for such an uprising was alb
sent, and under such circum-
stances, no body of men would
be justified in rushing into the
arms Of death. It was a hopeless
cause. 1t is a physiological mys-
terry what these men could have
had III mind.
They were, at most, only a
handful of the Irish people and
failure was inevitable. There was
no concerted action among the
masses, no widespread desire to
take up arms against England in
the hope of securing the boon of
nationhood. 1t is to be hoped
that these Irish rebels, for as such
they will go down i'll history,
have not done irreparable harm to
the cause of Ireland by giving her
enemies all excuse for more deter
mined opposition to the granting
of Home Rule.
No wonder John Redmond is
heart broken over this abortiye
attempt to free Ireland from an
alien yoke. After. long years of
constitutional agitation he had
almost reached the promised land
when few hot headed Sim Fem
ers threatened to undo all that
has been accomplished for the
good of the Irish people. Another
deplorable phase Of the uprising
is the encouragement the leaders
received from IrisEmen iii Amer
lea. Why can't the Irish i'll this
country allow the Irish III Ireland
to manage their own affairs
Every true friend of Ireland can
make his own the words of John
Z. Redmond: 1.-THE misguided,
insane young men who have taken
part i'll this movement i'll Ireland
have risked, and some Of them
lost, their lives. But what am [
to say of those men who have sent
| them into this insane and anti
patriotic movement while they
have remained i'll the safe remote
ness Of American cities? 2" Those
who from the security OF the
United States rejoice at what has
happened in Ireland are not true
friends of the Niobe Of nations.
Those who do care what happens
to Ireland, those who had become
accustomed to the idea of an Ire
land of the near future i'll which
effort would be directed by wis
dom, pray only that the crisis may
| soon pass, hope only that when
the return of reason comes moth
ing will have happened to dimin-
ish the confidence with which the
people may rely upon the steady
judgment and purpose of the Red
monds, the billions, the Deylins,
and the others who have known
how to join patience and prudence
to patriotism and courage. The
will of Ireland will presently re-
assert itself, and when it does the
fried and trusted statesman will
emerge stronger and more trusted
than ever out Of the welter of ruin
into which the country has been
plunged by the events Of tragic
week.