Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-06-17
LOCAL FRESHMAN ON
ENGLISH "LENIENCY'
A. F. Sweeney Calls Fridays
Concession "Act of Justice
Long Deferred"

or all the loving sons of Erin who
have established their right to life.
liberty and the pursuit of happiness
In the United States. none follows
more closely the moves and counter
moves in the tragic game of freedom
Tor Ireland than does A. j. Sweeney
II Tulsa grocer.
Mr.. Sweeney was born and raised
IN County Mayo-a county long noted
Tor It's answering devotion to the
cause of home rule. He states defi-
nitely that the question in Ireland is
not religious question, as many
would have 1t appear, and calls at
tention 10 the fact that every noted
martyred patriot of ireland has been
Protestant, with the exception OF
Daniel O'Connell, ana to the recent
protest OF the Protestant bishops
against the incarceration OF the East
er rebels.
Speaking on the subject of the re-
cent release of these rebels by the
British government, Mr.. Sweeney
said;
Merely Justice.
THE belated action OF the British
government in the matter of release
OF the Irish Republican prisoners
should not be regarded as an act OF
clemency, but as an act of justice
long deferred. 1t was brought about
by agitation in favor Of those prison
ems 10y friends in ireland and else
where. agitation which caused pres
sure To be brought to the British gov
ernment. The most noteworthy part
of the agitation was the holding of
a largely attended public meeting in
Dublin on May 25, upon which the
censored telegraph reports were
strangely silent. The news of this
meeting came to the United States
thru other channels.
'One of the resolutions adopted"
said Mr.. Sweeney, was as follows:
Pledged Action.
We solemnly pledge ourselves to
take steps to bring under the notice
of the civilized world the treatment
that is being meted out to the Irish
Republican prisoners in the jails of
England and we pledge ourselves
never to rest while even one of these
men wears the garb of prisoner"
Mr. Sweeney believes that at last
the British government, helped on by
the pressure of public sentiment in
the United States, is beginning to view
the Irish question in a new light and
says that the released prisoners viii
probably be members of Lloyd
Georges Irish convention.
Yet Irish Rejoice.
Friends of Ireland" said Mr..
Sweeney, will rejoice for this even
tho IT is "a late hour and continu-
alton of such actions If made in
good faith. will do much to bring
about harmony between the people OF
Ireland and the British government
a harmony indefinitely To be desired
in the prosecution of the present war.
Mr.. Sweeney like many another
whose warn interest never Wanes in !
the fate o AUD ireland, is not !
altogether convinced Of the good faith |
ot Lloyd George in calling the Irish !
and fears niger in the
wood pile
Lloyd George, who at one time defi- |
1itCly promised n settlement of tho |
question of home rule in return for |
undivided support of the Irish peo- |
pie in pursuance of the war, after
wards reciprocated by suggesting |
home rule for the south of ireland |
md British rule for the north. This |
means dismembermen of Ireland -
a parallel case exactly to the dismem-
berment of the United States 10y the |
secession of the southern states. |
Hence the English premier does not |
hcld the undivided confidence of the |
Irish people.