New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-10
ALSACE, BELGIUM AND IRELAND
A Consideration of the Conditions OF the
Several Countries
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The Allies have demanded for Alsace
that it be incorporated in France or set up
as an autonomous state. They have demand
ed for Bohemia that it be constituted an in
dependent, or at least autonomous, ma
tionalty. Now, in Alsace 80 per cent OF the
population wish to remain under German
government In Bohemia there is section
almost as large attached to Austria. The Al
lies, therefore, in changing the constitution
Of Alsace or of Bohemia would have these
considerable minorities coerced
In Ireland the Ulster Unionist opposition
to Home Rule amounts to about II per cent
of the population. The British government
has announced that this II per cent may not
be coerced, and that they shall have permits
sion 20 veto the grant of the comparatively
free institutions for which Ireland has strug-
gled for generations In carefully prepared
speech addressed TO the neutrals in this war,
and addressed particularly to the people OF
the United States Premier Lloyd George has
attempted to justify the government position.
ulster must not be coerced." ne says, "but
any other part Of Ireland that wants self
government may have It." His words pro-
pose dilemma to the irish people: they can
have comparatively free institutions and
partitioned country, or they can have an in
tact country with an indetermnate sentence
of government from the outside They are
free to choose the horn they want 10 be i'm
paled on.
Suppose the Germans succeed in making II
per cent OF the Belgian population favor the
creation Of separate Flemish state-it is
L Il 1 q -
Won Bethmann- Holweg announced that Bel
GUM should be restored on the condition that
the inhabitants of Antwerp and the district
around who are out of sympathy with the
Waloons meet no opposition in disposing OF
themselves as they see fit?
ulster meaning Northeast Ulster-"must
not be coerced!" Why not? Has not Nation
alist ireland been coerced for generations?
And while the Allies were coerclng Greece
was not their most respectable pretension the
one that they were disciplinng minority so
as to bring them to form OF government
that the majority desired? Minorities are
coerced in every country-even in the United
States-and there is no reason why an Irish
minority should always be left in the posi-
ton to coerce a majority.
Mr.. Lloyd George, speaking to the neu-
trails. and particularly to the Americans.
threw out the ridiculous suggestion that Ire
land is under no material disadvantage IN
being governed from the outside. Really, Mr..
Lloyd George can hardly have the ignorance
that he makes pretence to in such state
ment. Ireland Is now under every material
disadvantage that Belgium would be under If
Belgium was governed normally from Berlin
and in the interest OF the German Empire.
Two instances will make an index to the
material disadvantages that Ireland is under.
The Bank Of Ireland is by statute compelled
TO charge / per cent more interest on money
lent than the Bank of England. II the Eng
ish rate is per cent, the Irish rate has to
be 4; if the English rate is 4, the Irish rate
has TO be s. This is to make capital dear in
Ireland The other instance is taken from
the newspapers: Mr.. Henry Ford is trying
to organize a motor factory in Cork. The
English motor interests are publicly protest
ing against any motor factories being started
in Ireland: they arc demanding government
inquiry and an assurance that If the Ford
factory in Ireland is likely to compete with
English factories, its erection VIII be pre-
vented Surely country in which capital is
made expensive, in which industrial enter
prise is interfered with, is under very heavy
material disadvantages. And these are only
two instances out Of very long chapter that
lrlshmen nave ohIy Soou IeaSoh iVi "e'"s
familiar with. Mr.. Lloyd George is attempt
ing TO deceive American opinion by his sug-
geston that the Irish grievance IS merely
sentimental one.
And now, for her consolation, Ireland is
told that bunch of Colonial Premers is
about to look into her easel Ulster must not
be coerced, Of course, but short of that the
colonies will see what can be done The
nrospect is gratifying. The ancient Irish ma
ton is TO have its affairs taken up in what
Don Marquis's Hermione would call "a serious
way" by that little group of serious think
ers which Mr.. Lloyd George, Sir Edward Car
son and Lord Curzon are 10 assemble as
, colonial conference. PADRAIC COLUM
New York, March 8, 1917.