The Irish standard., 1918-11-09
Address at Flag Rails
ing by Prof. Michael
G. Rohan
-(Continued from Page ~

Hercules, ascends the platform of that
historic chamber. All England, all
Ireland, all the world await with bated
breath the fateful words of the fore
most statesman of his day. With
calm and dignified composure, he de-
livers his answer in a speech of mar.
velous eloquence, concluding with
dramatic gesture, Gentlemen of the
House of Commons, God knows I
speak for prosecuted race, but may
my tongue cleave to my mouth, and
my right hand forget its cunning, if
to free Ireland, even Ireland, I'll cast
my vote to keep the slave in bondage"
What nobility of soul exemplified in
that one act! The country that he
loved as the apple of his eye, doomed
to disappointment for another quar-
ter Of a century, because Ireland's 8
greatest son would not desert his love
of Liberty. Why do quote O'Connell
on this American event? Simply be.
cause he was the greatest exponent
of human liberty the world ever pro-
duced.
And, my friends, whSkaa fitting par.
allel to those noble exemplars does
not that liberty loving pole typify to-
day! 1t has never, with it's starry
flag, been flung to the breeze except
in defense of the weak and the op.
pressed Of every land. Note it's great
height, indicative of lofty ideals, with
the sturdy spirit of American nation.
ality in one hand and the broad gos-
pei Of charity and toleration in the
other. And, my friends, who can pic.
ture the emotions of the Christian
gentleman, the cultured scholar, the
noble American, with the eye of a
seer and the vision of a statesman,
as he was forced by the despotic ruler
of the house of Hohenzollern and the
Infamous Prussian horde, to turn a
peaceful, loving people into warlike
nation, bringing hope to the weary
and solace to the oppressed; yea, my
friends, such is the executive of this
great nation, such the man whose
words shall ring down the ages, the
capable, intellectual and patriotic
Woodrow Wilson, President of the
United States.
AS to the war, you know that the
Germans are now breaking all rec
ords as long distance runners; in
fact, they are outdistancing the 'tHoly
Jumpers" and if we do not listen to
their hypocritical wall for peace we'll
plant the old Starry Banner, resplen-
dent in all it's glory, over the Imperial
Palace at Berlin; and with universal
accord that will be heard from the
forests of the North to the orange
groves of the South, from the populous
cities of the East to the mountains,
plains and prairies Of the West, sing
"My Country 'Tis Of Thee," March
ing Thro' Georgia" and the Wearing
of the Green" These songs, indica-
tive of Deutschland, surely, will be
more melodious to his ears than the
sweetest notes Of Paderewski. And
then when Uncle Sam is through with
his Diminutive Majesty there will not
be hat in the City of Berlin small
enough to fit his faded brow.
Unfortunately, all our. boys, as
shown on that Service Flag of 1897
stars" will not return. Some sleep
their last sleep meath the verdant soil
of sunny France; and France, heroic
France, the land of poetry and sculp-
ture, the land of painting and 70.
nance, the land of historic shrines
and colossal cathedrals, will cherish
their memory and jealously guard
their pale and precious dust. Their
graves are marked with the Stars and
Stripes, on which their young eyes
first gazed with pride, and we who
remain will revere their indomitable
courage and follow them in spirit be
yond the portals of the tomb.
But when our patriotic Milwaukee
ans, in the full bloom of manly vigor
Z with bright eyes and heaving bosoms
reach the Northwestern Depot, and al
the command of their officers swing
into line and march up Wisconsin st
to the martial strains Of "Garryowen'
and Dixie" what thrill of pride will
permeate every fibre of our souls
when we see gray-haired mothers ant
decrepit fathers embrace with tear
dimmed eyes their boys, who Tough
for the worlds freedom on European
soil, and hail them with popular &C
claim as men and citizens whose
names, and those of their descendants
shall be forever enshrined in the Pan
theon of American fame.
Caesar was proud when he sent tn
immortal telegram, "Veni! Vidi
Vici," II came, saw, I conquered"
King Louis of France was proud whel