New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-02
Germany helands Ally, Sim Fem Leaders Say

of de Valera and | understand now ne
has captured the Imagination OF ms
unreasonable followers. lie was borh'
as he told me later, in New YORK olty
thirty-three years ago, OF spanish
father and an Irish mother. Az tne
age Of two months he was brought 10
Ireland, and has lived here ever since
Before he became reyolutionlst ne
taught mathematics.
Tall and thin, with great, round
piercing eyes that shine with burning
fire when he speaks of the cause, MS
personal magnetism IS that Of poih
leader. had heard from loyal IRISH
men of his deeds during the rebellion,
how he had fought hardest Of all the
rebel leaders. how he had planned the
bloody ambush of the Sherwood for-
esters and surrendered last of the Slnh
Fem commanders. fighting even ai'er
the chiefs in the postofice had yielded.
De Valera Mystic
After some verbal fencing. he con-
scented to talk. and soon plunged INTO
a brilliant and burning recital OF the
wrongs of ireland, the hypocrisy OF
England. the future of free Erin.
soon saw there is "A strong tOuch OF
mysticism about this young man, who
cares nothing for the odds against him,
and would prefer to fight with the GER
tanty of defeat than not TO night at
all -,
where but in Ireland" he said with
fervor, would you get five thousand
men without artillery, taking TO me
roofs against five million trained
soldiers with thousands OF cannon
Tell the Americans that while there
are men in Ireland who Will die rather
than submit to tyranny. the struggle
will 20 on. The odds do not matter.
What matters is self-respect. We are
proud, as Irishmen. before the British
ourt-martals. in the British jalls. We
could not look our women in the face
before we struck for freedom
Like Griffith, de Valera refused TO
descend 10 details about the Sim Fem
programme. The one thing that mat
tiers, he feels, is TO get rid of the Eng
liSh.
"Do you not feel" | asked, chat your
release the other day was an act which
proves that England is not so blood
thirsty as you say?' Fear" de Valera
cried. They were afraid. That is
why they let us GO"
American Anthem Kissed.
The commander of an American de-
stroyer. here on leave with one of
his officers. told me that he was in
the Hippodrome, the largest theatre IN
Dublin, when films of the West Point
cadets drilling were shown. a consld-
cradle part of the audience Kissed. A
moment later renewed kissing greeted
God Save the King" played by the
theatre orchestra, but this was nothing
to the storm of disapproval that fol-
lowed when the band switched to The
Star-Spangled Banner" and the two
officers, as American regulations de-
mand. stood at attention.
81 didn't know what to do said the
commander ruefully. at was the first
time | ever heard that tune Kissed. We
walked out"
II would be mistake TO eXaggerate
the significance of such an incident,
which indicated not serious hostility
toward America, but an annoyance at
the war and at any uniform tnat Is
characteristic in Dublin to-day. The
political temperature of the country
is very high, perhaps higher than ever
before. There are not wanting prophets
who think that if the convention
reaches an agreed solution. the support
of Sim Fein will fall away, Leaving
Griffith and de Velara and their eX-
tremist followers isolated.