The Irish standard., 1917-04-07
FRIENDLY SONS OF
SAINT PATRICK
Of New York City Hold Rousing Meet
ing In Which Judge Victor J..
Bowling, Justice Of the Appellate
Division, Delivered Wonderful
Patriotic Address.

the Appellate Division, Supreme
Court, State of New York, as Presi-
dent of the Friendly Sons of st. Pat
rick in the City of New York at it's
1S3rd Annual Banquet, in the Hotel
Astor, New York City, March 18th
1917
Right Reverend and Reverend Sirs,
Members and Guests of the friend
ly Sons of st. Patrick:
II extend to you all the hearty
greetings Of the society on the occa-
sion of it's 133rd Anniversary dinner.
Almost as old as the Republic itself,
this organization has maintained it's
traditions Of affectionate interest in
the land whence our forefathers came
and of answering loyalty to the coun-
try whose citizenship we prize. To-
night we are honored by the largest
attendance by far that has ever as
sembled at our board-over 92O For
this we have to thank the distin-
guished speakers of the evening,
whose names have proved most po-
tent magnets, and to whom we are
indebted for their cordial reception
OF our invitation. l had hoped that
this year we might be celebrating the
first upward steps of Ireland on her
way to final freedom. But it seems
that she has not yet drained the cup
OF sorrow and oppression, and that the
day of her political redemption is still
deferred. The Niobe of nations, she
is still called upon to mourn her
persisted offspring and apparently to
face the threatened loss of many
more. 1t would appear that she is
destined to be the greatest example
OF how unquenchable is the love of
liberty, no matter how cruel and long
the effort to subdue it. Seven CEN
turtles of tyranny and provocation
have not broken the spirit of her
children, for as Lloyd George admit
ted in his speech in Parliament on
March 7th, although Ireland las he
cialmed) was more prosperous than
ever it was indisputable that she was
no more reconciled to British rule
than she was in Cromwells day And
yet the spectacle of 100000 men of
Irish blood fighting for what they
deem righteous cause has not moved
the hearts of the Tories of England,
nor has the chasm between it's gov
erning classes and the people of Ire
land been filled by the bodies and
blood OF Erin's sons, which have been
sacrificed on every battlefield since
the present war began. The decend-
ants of Irishmen abroad are not seek
ing to maintain racial hatred, nor to
spread dissension or discomfort. But
they are determined that justice shall
be done that land which has been the
inspiration to the lovers of freedom
| for centuries. There is no nation
which today is free, that does not
owe in some degree the attainment
OF that blessing to Irish example and
Irish valor. We are apt to forget in
our own growth that others not so
prosperous were once the objects OF
our solicitude and deemed worthy of
our attention. Benjamin Franklin in
ITS did not hesitate to issue from
Versailles, on behalf of the struggling
colonies, an address to the good peo-
pie Of Ireland for whom, he said 4
have ever retained the most perfect
good will and esteem assuring them
OF American sympathetic interest in
their welfare. How paltry, to such
great mind, would have seemed the
argument that seven centuries of for
eign rule of 100 per cent of the popu-
lation OF country seething with the
love OF freedom, should be continued
indefinitely because Il per cent of the
people feared the administration of
the other So per cent. However, those
OF Irish descent may differ on every
other proposition under the sun, the
overwhelming majority are in agree
ment on this. that the irreducible
minimum Of justice to Ireland is home
government for all of a united Ire.
land, with complete fiscal autonomy,
with unrestricted opportunities for
its commercial and industrial expan-
sion, and with accompanying adequate
safeguards for minorities. Let us
hope that wisdom may yet find a way
into the Councils OF England's over
lords, and that they realize the ex-
pediency, at least of conciliating the
sober judgment of civilization by
granting to Ireland what they profess
their desire to secure for other strug-
Cling people. They have often tested
the willingness Of the 1rishman to
meet force by force, and found that
he is unconquerable; why not try the
alternative which every other nation
in the world has profited by adopting,
and merit his devotion by even-hand-
ed Justice? Viviani is eloquent about
the right of every small nation to live
its own life; Asquith says there can
be no just peace save ON the basis of
the liberty of small nations; Lord
Grey said the struggle would go on
until we have assured the free devel.
opment on conditions of equality and
conformity to their genius of all the
states, large and small, who constitute
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