The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-05-13

Charles J. Dolan of st. Louis, who
penned the treatise on the causes of
the present Irish revolution which fol-
lows, probably is the one man in Amer
lea most qualified to speak or write
authoritatively on that subject. He
has resided in the United States since
1912, when he came to st. Louis and
previously was one of the most active
leaders of the Sim Fein (Shin Fainf
movement.
Dolan was the first leader In Ireland
to stand for election on the Sim Fein
platform. He was an intimate of Sir
Roger Easement, P. H. Pearse, Thorn
as j. Clark. Eoin (John) MacNeill,
jim Connolly, Jim Larkin and others
of the Irish patriot leaders. In the
following article, prepared for the
Globe-Democrat, he gives a concise
and clear exposition of their aims and
efforts.
The Sim Fein policy was evolved
from the brain of Arthur Griffith, edi.
tor Of The United lrshman, an en-
ponent Of advanced views in Irish pol.
itics, and was made public in the a,l.
tumn of 1905.
Griilith's purpose, as he frankly de-
clared, was to find a middle course be,
tween the parliamentarianism of Red
mond's party and the extreme physical
force party. Two years previously he
had published remarkable pamphlet
entitled "rhe Resurrection of Hun
gary" in which he described the means
employed by the Hungarian national,
lists in compelling Austria to restore
their national independence. The
pamphlet made deep impression on
the minds of thoughtful Irish Nation.
alists, and in particular the late
Michael Davitt, who commended the
suggestion made in the pamphlet that
Ireland should initiate the methods OF
the Hungarians.
De Facto Government Proposed.
The Sim Fein policy was Griflth's
reply to a general demand that he for.
mulate the Hungarian policy with spe.
cial reference to it's application in Ire.
land. Briefly, his proposal was to es.
tablish de facto government.
Irish constituencies were to elect
representatives pledged not to take
their seat in the British Parliament;
instead they were to meet in Dublin
| and endeavOr, as far as possible, to
exercise all the functions of legisla.
tive assembly. The people were to
cooperate by recognizing the enact
ments Of the dc facto parliament as
possessing the sanction OF true laws.
Provision was to be made for the car.
rying on of every function Of govern.
ment under the auspices of this Par.
Lament. The British law courts were
to be ignored and in their stead arbi
| tration courts were to be set up
throughout the land and binding force
was to be given to their decisions by
compelling all litigants to sign an arbi.
tration compact before submitting
their case to one of the National
Courts. The machinery already ex.
listed for purposes Of local administra.
ton in the shape of popularity elected
county, district and municipal coun.
ellis. AS constituted by the act of the
British Parliament, these councils
were subject to the authority of a de.
partment of the British Government,
known as "The Local Government
! Board for Ireland" But Griffith pro.
posed that the councils should ignore
the authority Of the bureaucratic board
and put themselves under the control
Of the de facto Irish Parliament. AS
the revival of Irish Industrial life was
a vital part Of the Sim Fein program,
Griffith also made provision for the
representation Of Ireland abroad by
consular officers, the expenses of these
consuls to be met out of national funds
no longer needed to support Irish mem.
bers in the British House Of Com.
mons.
British Statutes Recalled.
So much for the framework Of the
de facto government of Ireland. How
was it to be maintained. SO that its
members and all parties who recog.
ntzed It would avoid the danger of be-
ing thrown into prison for sedition
1t was in dealing with this difficulty
that Griffith showed his genius. He
pointed TO the statute book of Great
Britain, on which there is inscribed
the enactment that 1.-THE right Of the
Irish people to be governed only by
the king lords and commons of Ire
land is hereby declared to be estab
lished forever and shall at no time
hereafter be questioned or question
able" This law, known as the Renun
citation Act, was passed in the reign
Of George the Third in 1855. when thu