Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1918-12-21
SINN fem
Described by an Irish Priest, Rev.
Father Marshall, Lately
From Ireland.
The True Essense of Its Doctrine
Is Ireland For the
Irish
President Wilson Looked Upon as
Greatest Apostle of Lib
erty Ever Seen.
ISLANDS PRESENT CONDITION.

| the general election for members
of Parliament and the entry of the
Sim Fem party into the contest,
with prospects of taking the places
of the Irish Nationalists, the fol-
lowing interview with the Rev.
Father Marshall upon his recent
arrival in New York may enlighten
and interest many readers:
I'VE arrived in Liverpool twelve
days ago." said Father Marshall.
''Our trunks were gone through
very rigidly, which was of course
quite right, and to which we
naturally made no objection, but
photographs of De Valera, Pres-
dent of the Sim Fein organization !;
of Capt. Thomas Ashe, one of the
Sim Fein leaders who died of
starvation few months ago in an
English prison, and other pictures
of Sim Fein friends of ours, were
all confiscated by the English Off
cials. We had booked our passage
on an American liner and had
| gone down to the docks to the ship,
but we were not permitted to go on
board. We were held back and told
we could not proceed. There was
no reason given, and we do not
know even now why we were
molested. We were Sim Feiners
and suppose that was enough.
while we were standing near
the ship, not knowing what to do.
an American army officer came up,
learned our situation and stood up
for us. We will never forget the
kindness of this brave American
gentleman. He managed the affair
without noise or hustle or excite
ment, but he did manage it. In
five minutes the whole thing was
settled, we were set free and al
lowed on board. We arrived just
when the elections were over and
were all quite glad when we heard
President Wilson's man was elected
Governor. for 1 may tell you Presi
dent Wilson is liked and admired
In Ireland. At every gathering
where his name is mentioned the
people spring to their feet and
cheer and applaud. We look upon
President Wilson as the greatest
apostle of liberty the world has
ever seen. That" said Father
Marshall, sis the true feeling in
ireland as far as America is con-
cerned."
And how is old Ireland and how
does she stand with regard to
England just now?" asked the in
terviewer
1.-The jails of Ireland" answered
the clergyman, ARE full of untried
prisoners, the country is flooded
with English soldiery-250, 900 OF
them-cannon of all caliber, tanks,
armed motor cars and military sup
plies and equipment of all kinds
are parked and stored all over the
country, even in small mountain
hamlets. For the most part, how
ever, the English officers are very
decent fellows. They have a very
unpleasant duty to perform, but
they do it like soldiers and gentle
men. They do not like their work.
and they certainly hate the irish
people. While the police go around
like Prussian bloodhounds, beating
the people, bludgeoning women and
children, entering houses at the
dead of night and arresting the
people, without warrant or cause
of any kind, the English officers
never modest the people at all. On
the contrary, they are kind as they
can be and considerate. The con-
Vi lnClClOlC dt NhN
present moment is that of terror
lied land where the people have no
liberty. Our leaders are in English
tails, arrested without warrant and
held for the past eight months
without bail. The charge against
them was an alleged plot with Ger
many. a plot which even tie Eng.
fish newspapers openly state never
existed, and of which there is moi
the slightest proof. Irish songs can
not be sung today in Ireland. Those
who sing them are put into jail.
The Gaelic leagues are suppressed,
the right of public meeting taken
AWAY. our harbors are closed, our
railways Communicated, our trade
ruined, our industries destroyed.
That is the situation" continued
Father Marshall, ''but l dare say
Americans do not know that things
are that way in England"
A short chat on Sim Fein
terminated the interview. The re-
porter wanted to know what Sim
Fein really stood for. Father
Marshall gave a very lucid explana-
ton.
"The Sim Fein idea," he said,
sis simply this. If you want to do
anything begin with yourself. Sim
Fem looks upon every individual
In the country as an embodiment
of the Irish nation in miniature,
The Irish nation that we have got
to save does not consist of our
neighbors, but ourselves. The only
part of the Irish nation which
good many have any chance of get
ting free Immediately is ourselves
Sim Fein teaches us self-reliance-
To de-Anglicize Ireland the first
thing is for each single Irishman
to de-Anglicize himself. To make
ireland temperate, become tenn
perate yourself. To make Ireland
a perfect country. a kingdom OF
God, then the individual Irishman
himself must become a perfect In
dividual, a kingdom of God. That
is the Sim Fem idea, you may
call it," said the priest, the
ethics of Sim Fem. but on this
foundation the national economic
policy of Sim Fem. Is built and
the national platform was founded.
we want Ireland for the Irish.
We are distinct and separate ma
ton in race. history. language. Gus
toms and even in our geographical
position. But free we will be-"
said Father Marshall. America
49, ooobor hor opaaf praoidont has