The Irish standard., 1917-06-09
Condemn Themselves.

IrrecOncilable minorities, whether
Republican or Ulsterite, who without
just cause refuse to participate in this
convention of the people of Ireland
merely condemn themselves and their
cause before the bar of the worlds
opinion. The task which the conven-
ton undertakes is stupendously diff
cult even if all the convened are per-
vaded by the spirit of compromise; it
is frankly hopeless if even minority
of Irishmen refuse to cooperate for
the welfare Of Ireland.
No matter what the decision of the
convention be, if the convention is so
constituted that all Irish parties are
justly represented within it, then Irish
men the world over must agree to
abide faithfully by that decision. 1t is
therefore now incumbent upon us to
promote, so far as lies in our power
the just representation of the various
Irish parties in that convention and
to neglect no means by which har-
mony may be made to prevail there
Mr.. Redmond, whose present parlia-
mentary strength is numerically three
to four times greater than that of the
Obstetrics, has magnanimously pro-
posed to forego this advantage, to
share numerical equality with the Ul-
sterites at the convention. This spirit
is a good omen. Since it has so far
become manifest might it not mate
rialize further Fifty-seven out of the
two hundred and fifty-eight public
bodies in Ireland-mainly elected of
old by the Redmond machine-recent-
ly sent delegates to Count Plunkett's
Republican convention in Dublin.
Twenty to thirty others are alleged to
nave decided not to send delegates
only by the casting vote of the Chair
man. From one-ifth to one-third of
the public bodies are therefore active
ly in sympathy with some phase, So
cial, economic or POLITICAL of the Re-
publican program The chivalrous
quality which led Mr.. Redmond to
waive his numerical superiority over
his brethren in Ulster may now gra-
ciously lead him to make similar
renunciation on behalf of the Repub-
licans.
More than equal representation at
the convention neither the Ulster nor
the Republican minorities can expect
or seek. A convention composed of
equal numbers Of Nationalist, Repub-
lican, and Ulster representatives
would be constituted as justly as is
now possible without having recourse
to an election. An election is appar-
emily neither sanctioned nor contem-
plated in Ireland at present.
"England's sense of her absolute
need of America, and the challenge
of France for square deal to Ireland
may bring about happy solution of
this vexatious problem. Irishmen gen.
orally are justified in waiting for evi-
dence of her sincerity before commit
ting themselves to any whole-hearted
promise of cooperation in a proposal
which, for the moment, seems devised
so as to throw upon Ireland the re-
sponsibility which really belongs to
England"
Judge cohaIan's Views.
Judge Cohalan sees not conven-
tion but a conference in the Govern
ment's proposal, and adds:
Lloyd Georges confession that Ire
land is today as dissatisfied with Eng
lish rule as it was in the days of Crom-
we'll, and his knowledge Of the very
grave situation which confronts Eng.
land, must be taken into account in
deciding how much weight should be
given to his latest suggestion for set
Ting the problem of Ireland. He rea-
Lies, as does now Mr.. Balfour, who is
the real leader of England, how es-
sential it is for them to satisfy Amer
lea Of the sincerity of their position
IF England wants to gain the con-
fidence of the world, let there be
called a real convention of the repre-
sentatives of Ireland. Let it's members
be elected by an honest plebiscite of
the adult population of Ireland-not
chosen by the present Parliamentary
electors, with their restricted fran
chise and plural voting-but by the
people at large. Let the convention
choose it's own chairman, even if he
be Professor McNeill or one of the
other intellectuals now imprisoned or
interned by England. Let it conduct
it's deliberations publicly and decide
fairly and fully what the future form
of Government in Ireland is to be, and
not alone will the people Of Ireland
cheerfully abide by the result, but all
lovers of Ireland and of liberty
throughout the world should be salts
fed with it.
I'm that direction lie not alone free
dom and contentment for Ireland, and
equality and fair play for all religions
and parties therein, but conviction on
the part of America of the sincerity
of England, and with that conviction
an added security and safety for Eng
land"
Cochran Wants Ratification at Polls
w. Bourke Cochran expressed him
self as being in favor of convention
if it we're really representative of the