The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-08-21

The make up Of the proposed con-
vention 10 adopt 4 constitution for Ire
land renders its work all the more dlf-
ticult. for its membership is artlhciat
and not responsive. No one or It's
members will be chosen by the peo-
pie, Of Ireland or charged by them
with responsibility.
Ii Is planned 10 summon "a gentlH'
men 10 meet together and evolve
constitution OF these L. will be d.
rectly named by the British govern
ment and. with men like Balfour. Car
son and Cecil in control, these ap-
pointees can hardly be expected TO
have any nationalisric tendencies. In
addition there will be 81 chairmen OF
county councils The mayors Of Dub
lin. Belfast. Cork. Derry. Limerick and
Waterford-siX in number: eight rep
resentatives of urban councils; one
representative Of each Of the cham
Der of commerce OF Dublin. Belfast
and Cork; four representatives. Of the
Catholic church: two of the Church
of Ireland and one of the Presbyterian
church: two Irish peers; FIVE repre-
sentativcs of the trades unions OF
Dublin, Belfast and Cork; five Ma
tionalists TO be appointed by Mr. Red
mond: five I'nionists from Ulster. and
five Unionists from the rest OF Ire
land. 10 be appointed by the Tory
leaders.
So constituted and appointed, is II
to be wondered at that the Irish peo-
pie despair. of any real achievement
therefrom. For more Than a genera
tlon, by peaceful methods under The
leadership Of Parnell and Redmond.
they have appealed 10 the conscience
Of Great Britain 10 give 10 the ma
tional self.eovernmrnt Three times
the British house Of commons has
passed a home rule bill. Over the
veto of the house of lords it became
the "sovereien law and as such it
is on the statute books. There il slum-
bers shorn of its sovereisnty-for the
old Tories have supplanted the Llber'
ais and are again in power. The Irish
people believe themselves TO have
been cheated. and their centuries-old
experience of English male1olence
and ireachey is acccntuated and EN-.
phasized. Hence the triumph of Sim
Fnin in the recent parliamentary
elections.
AT all the elections held in Ireland
for thirty years the majority has been
overwhelmingly in favor Of home rule
--practicaily or Il 10 !. From every
one of the four provinces into which
the island is divided Ulster. Mum
ster. Leinster and Connanght-them ma
jority Of the Representatives in the
british house Of commons is Nation
aist. and at the beginning OF the pres
emf parliament 81 our Of the l0l elect
ed representatives from all Ireland
were pledged home rule.
Judged by American standards,
there ought TO be no question as TO
what Ireland wants. but since August
l, 1914. the hands upon times dial
have. moved forward. What this con-
vention should do would tie TO submit
10 the whole people Of Ireland the
uuestion--under what form Of govern
ment they desire 10 live. The United
States has entered into. this great
struggle 10 secure the rule and tr1-
umph Of democracies and to preserve
the rights Of small nationalities. Ire
land is larger in area than Belgium.
Portugal. Greece. Serbia. Switzerland.
Denmark or Holland, and exceeds or
approaches any Of them in population.
It is part of no other land. for God
flung round i, His oceans as its bound
aries. 1t is fertile beyond any of the
nations OF Europe. and during the
years of its independence following
1852 went forward with great strides
TO prosperity. It's people-those who
live upon its soll-shoud be permitted
10 pass upon these three questions:
First. do they desire to remain an
nexed 10 Great Britain; second, If so,
do they desire TO occupy place like
an English county or become towards
the empire like Canada. Australia.
New Zealand or the United States Of
South Africa: or. third. do they desire
complete independence with the es-
Establishment OF a republic? The Off
cal title Of the British empire. Is. it
must be remembered. THE United
Kingdom OF Great Britain and Ire
land" Gladstone said the union"
was accomplished in 1901 by force
and fraud" and Sydney Smith said OF
it that it was 1.-The union Of the shark
with It's prey"
In this so-caled union the people