The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-03-03

Eve, 1916, peeping moon could have
deserted many human forms, some
small and some big, huddled up in a
handful of wet rags sleeping uneasily
in doorways and open halls. Who are
these children and why are they
there? These art our little ones, for
many of them are the children of "the
bold Fenian men, Their parents
have been simply thrown out of work
to force them into the army which
keeps such an evil grip on the vitals
of Irish life. Can those men be
blamed who prefer death by starva-
ton on the streets of their native city
to dishonorable death in the Eng
lish trenches. The last marketable
object left a man is his soul and many
are the bids he gets for it who is an
Irish working man.
The proselyter ceaselessly haunts
the Dublin streets with his warm soup
kitchen, where a poor man can "sell
his soul for a penny roll, fat beef and
fatter bacon and so the efforts of
the genuine philanthropist are met
with suspicion, especially as Dublin
Castle has of late made strenuous
efforts to capture the "Irish-Ireland
movement" Recruiting leaflets and
extensively illustrated and colored
booklets in Gaelic with Celtic designs
have been distributed broadcast
through disappearing parts of Ire
land and huge recruiting posters ap-
peal to Irish patriotism, religion and
daring with GOD SAVE IRELAND
and God Save the King" written in
Gaelic at the foot.
To such Dublin is America extend
ing her loving practical sympathy, and
despite every effort to prevent the
Relief Funds reaching Ireland and get
ting into the hands of those who
would use them to advantage, the
funds are arriving safely and are be-
ing distributed by the "Cumann nam
Ban," women Of the Irish Volun-
teers" who in Easter Week stood by
the brothers, sons or husband of these
women and children. Needness to
say these girls have to distribute the
funds after they have finished their
hard days work.
Who could do such delicate work
more tactfully or lovingly than the
Irish patriotic women. The time or
the little sums for train fares are joy.
fully spent when ever the distributor
is earning but 5000 to $500 a week
herself. would like to take Young
America by the hand, show her the
work of distributing the Relief Funds
from start to finish. Let us go first
to the Relief Fund Office. It is one
large room; the stairs leading to ii
are crowded with fine young men
| some looking very ill. These are the
men who "were out" in Easter Week
and have just been released from
English jails, some in a dying state
There is no place for them to wait
save on the stairs, for renting a room
to wait in is beyond the means al
! the disposal Of the Relief Committee
Every penny is required urgently tt
keep famine from those who acted &c
brave mans part" AS they stand OF
the stairs they talk earnestly ant
cheerfully, some breaking out now ant
then into a softly lifted or whistlet
rebel song as they wait their turn tt
report their release and give particu
lars as to what work they can do. 4
labor bureau is run in connection will
the Dublin relief fund and a littl,
work is obtained in this way. EN-
ployers are also approached by tn
Committee to reinstate their caste
Week" employees and "black list il
being formed Of firms like Guinness
who have grown rich on Irish indus
try and are now victimizing pro-Irisl
workmen, even If they were not ii
the Easter fight.