The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-05-20

flower of Irish manhood and intellect.
They had done what Washington,
Adams, Jefferson and Franklin did,
but they had field artillery to meet
and they had failed. And England,
which of late has pretended to ad-
mire Washington and his fellow
patriots; England which rejoiced In
Italian freedom and lamented the sor.
rows of Poland; England. still drip
ping tears for Belgium and Serbia
this England could not treat them as
patriots and soldiers, but lined them
against wall as traitors and shot
them in guilty haste. And the demo
cratic" people of England, like jack
ais with mouths dripping for the blood
of the lions victim, yelped their ap-
prevail!
The writer of these lines has held
the hands. looked into the eyes and
spoken with Clarke and MacDonagh,
now dead and beyond this worlds
harm, and has also known Connolly,
who lies wounded. The writer of
these lines has followed the career of
Padraic Pearse, shining young soul,
a brilliant scholar, editor and educa-
tor, a man of original ideas, the very
embodiment Of the new Ireland, has.
ing itself on old Gaelic culture and
reach out toward new industrial
era. These men will not be set down
in the histories of the future as Grim
|inals, but as heroes of humanity; and
their brutal executfoners will be the
scorn of all lovers of freedom.
The writer of these lines has also
met Sir Roger Easement, so unfortu
nately captured when German ship
with load of munitions for the Irish
was sunk. The English are saying
that he is insane, but that Is not the
reason that restraints their hands
which are itching to choke him tt
DEATH They fear to recall to the
world of how the English government
tried to bride his servant with $25, 200
and promise of immunity If he would
kill Sir Roger or lure him into Eng
lish hands in neutral country. Fal
from being crazy, Sir Roger Casemen
is a brilliant constructive statesman
He it was who, two years before the
war began, wrote that for the free
dom of the seas, the freedom of Ire
land was necessary, for as England
lies off the coast of Europe command
ing its trade-routes, so Ireland lies of
the coast of England commanding hel
trade-routes. He advocated an ALI
ance between Germany and Ireland
by which Germany would get nava
bases in Ireland from WHICH German
cruisers and U-boats would guard tn
seas and watch England, while Ire
land, liberated and assisted by Ger
man capital and science, would flour
ish, developing water-power, minera
resources and mines, and supporting
population of 100000 prosperou'
and happy people. He went to Ger
many, where the government officiall!
circulated his pamphlet and issued I
proclamation of friendship for Ireland
Still, we can excuse the English TO
considering man crazy who gave VI
position, pension, power and pleasure
to devote his life to his people.
But where is the voice Of the Amer
lean press, which lately lamented tn
fate of Belgium and Serbia, and RAM
with denunciation of German tyrann!
and cruelty? Nothing so much ex
poses the press as truly the slave o
England, as the evidence 1t; give
that pity is only for the allies o
England, but for her enemies and vic
tins there are only sneers and lie
and the thumb turned down!