The Irish standard., 1916-03-11

ders in Council.
The Irish People Have Not Renounced
Allegiance to ireland.
Political parties may prove recreant,
leaders may falter, individuals may be-
tray, but nation striving for life can
be no more silenced than the eternal
voice of justice.
Except on irrefrangible evidence, we
refuse to believe that the Irish people
have renounced their allegiance to Ire
land and it's hereditary cause, for the
following reasons:
First-The faith we have in the fidel-
ity of the Irish race in it's progress to
national freedom.
of all manifestation or expression of
free thought in Ireland by either
tongue or pen.
Thirdly-The maintenance of a
huge garrison, found necessary to
overawe the people at a time when
the army is badly needed in other
fields.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the eX.
elusive control of all agencies of in
telligence and the Justification ap-
proved by the censor, we know from
reliable sources that in spite of Jail
and coercion the heart of Ireland still
rings true.
furnished moral and material aid. have
a right to know and express the truth
and in doing so to further express our
knowledge of the falsity of the state
ment made in the British House OF
Commons that 95 per cent OF the Irish
| in America were in favor of England
in the present conflict.
That irslapa "a = = -'-'> - s;ega
the mind Impartial All a44 sssUMsd
by prejudice 0sst A1AlS. ER nsa.
board is patrolled by iron-cads. and
her cities, towns and villages bristle
with the bayOnets Of the army of Oc-
cupation. A worse than martial law
prevails, and the prison gates are con.
tinually closing on those who have
said or done aught by word or deed to
cOntravene the elastic and limitless
provisions OF The Defence of the
Realm Act. If Ireland were loyal to
England in the present crisis, why the
need of such martial and naval force?
| Why the need of imprisonment, and
of banishment of men from their
homes? Why the need of cOercive
measures to force men to enlist? And
] why exempt her from the cOnscription
applicable to England and Scotland?
The London Times and Emigration.
Were it not for the tragedy the hu-
NOR of the present situation would
provoke mirth. At one time the cry
was to Hell or Connaught for the Irish.
That was somewhat modified, when, in
the days of famine and emigration, the
London Times voiced satisfaction that
the Irish were going with vengeance,
and that in a few years It would be
as rare to find an lrishman on the
banks of the Shannon as it would be
to find Red Indian on the shores of
Manhattan. But today there has been
a complete revolution in the attitude
of England to Ireland. She does not
encourage men to leave Ireland, but
by force actually prevents them, and
in suddenly-found love appeals to them
with supplicating hands for aid in her
hour of distress.
Like sick-bed repentant she recog-
nizes the evil of her rule in ireland,
and promises that, If Irishmen help to
save her from threatened disaster, she
will sing Of their bravery, decorate
them with military orders, and allow
Irish soldiers to wear the Shamrock on
St. Patrick's Day.
To any inquirer with fair and open
mind there must appear striking con.
trast between the Commonwealth of
Australia and the Dominion of Can.
ada on the one hand and the Kingdom
of Ireland on the other. In the for.
mer it is seen that equal opportunity.
liberal laws, and real self government
have yielded spontaneous loyalty and
generous support, while in the latter
the ineffaceable tracings Of penal laws
of racial prescription, of broken treat
les, Of caste domination and industrial
robbery, have, like the planting Of
dragons teeth, yielded q crop Of hate
ond ornouldorinr rohol1iOn which h,,t